# What's MCP all about? Comparing MCP with LLM function calling

DevFeed: [What's MCP all about? Comparing MCP with LLM function calling](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/what-s-mcp-all-about-comparing-mcp-with-llm-function-calling-5552.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://neon.com/blog/mcp-vs-llm-function-calling>)

Author: Andre Landgraf

Published: 2025-03-12T18:16:46Z

Content type: article

Language: en

Sources: [Blog -- Neon Docs](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/blog-neon-docs.md>)

Topics: [Model Context Protocol](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/model-context-protocol.md>), [Large Language Model](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/llm.md>), [Home Assistant](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/home-assistant.md>), [Raspberry Pi](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/raspberry-pi.md>), [WebSocket](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/websocket.md>), [OpenAI](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/openai.md>)

Tags: [api](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/api.md>), [claude](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/claude.md>), [cursor](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/cursor.md>), [github](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/github.md>), [home-automation](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/home-automation.md>), [json](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/json.md>), [llm](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/llm.md>), [mcp](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/mcp.md>), [model-context-protocol](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/model-context-protocol.md>), [openai](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/openai.md>), [product](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/product.md>), [raspberry-pi](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/raspberry-pi.md>), [servers](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/servers.md>), [smart-home](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/smart-home.md>), [tools](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/tools.md>)

## AI overview

This developer article compares the Model Context Protocol with LLM function calling. Using Home Assistant on a Raspberry Pi as an example, it explains how MCP servers and function-calling APIs connect LLMs to external tools, services, data, and smart-home controls.

## Source excerpt

The Model Context Protocol (MCP) has been rapidly gaining traction, going viral on social media over the past two weeks. The community has already built dozens of MCP servers across a wide spectrum of domains, extending LLM capabilities with external tools, services, and data sou...