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Module
Module 4 of 7Lesson 2 of 2~22 min

Connect a server read-only and verify what it exposes

The best way to understand MCP is to connect a server yourself, safely. This lesson walks you step by step through connecting an existing server in a free client while limiting what it can reach, then checking through tests what it can and cannot do.

Lesson objective

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to connect an existing MCP server in a free client, restricted to a read-only folder and at a pinned version, then verify with the Inspector and five tests what it can and cannot do.

Topics covered

  • Claude Desktop
  • MCP Inspector
  • read-only access
  • least privilege

Where it fits

Find, evaluate and connect a server

How do you pick an existing server, and connect it without giving it more than it needs?

Lessons in this module

  1. Find a server and evaluate it before installing
  2. Connect a server read-only and verify what it exposes (this lesson)

What you will learn in this module

This lesson is part of the course Connect AI to your tools and data with MCP

  • Find, evaluate and connect an existing MCP server in a free client, with limited rights, and verify what it actually exposes.