> Straight, sourced answers about MCP: why it costs tokens, where each AI app keeps its servers, what Claude Code limits mean, and MCP vs CLI. Guide # MCP guides Straight answers about MCP, tokens, config files and your AI apps, each with its sources. - [7 min read How to reduce MCP token usage, and why MCP burns tokens How to reduce MCP token usage: measure it with /context, see the two costs (tool menu and round trips), and compare every fix, Tool Search included. Read the guide](https://www.mcpdelta.com/guides/reduce-mcp-token-usage) - [6 min read Claude Code usage limit reached? What your MCP servers cost What Claude Code's "You've hit your limit" means (session, weekly, Opus, spend), how /usage shows what your MCP servers cost, and what to cut first. Read the guide](https://www.mcpdelta.com/guides/claude-code-usage-limit-mcp) - [6 min read MCP config file locations: Claude, Cursor, VS Code and more Where Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code, Windsurf, Gemini CLI and Codex keep their MCP config: file path, JSON key, remote servers and tool limits. Read the guide](https://www.mcpdelta.com/guides/mcp-clients) - [6 min read MCP vs CLI for AI agents: where the token bill comes from MCP or CLI for your AI agent? What each costs in tokens, what the measurements show, when a CLI wins, when MCP does, and where code beats both. Read the guide](https://www.mcpdelta.com/guides/mcp-vs-cli)