#Quick Start Guide

Get up and running with MCP Chat in just a few minutes. This guide will walk you through the essential first steps to start having productive AI conversations.

#🎯 Your First 5 Minutes

#Step 1: Access MCP Chat

Navigate to the MCP Chat interface
You'll see the main chat interface with a sidebar
The interface includes:
- Chat area - Where conversations happen
- Sidebar - Projects, threads, and tools
- Input area - Where you type messages
- Model selector - Choose your AI model

#Step 2: Choose Your AI Model

Click the model selector at the top of the chat and choose from:

Recommended for Beginners:

GPT-4o Mini - Fast, efficient, great for general tasks
Claude 3.5 Sonnet - Excellent for coding and analysis
Gemini 2.5 Flash - Quick responses, good for simple tasks

Advanced Options:

GPT-4o - Most capable OpenAI model
Claude Sonnet 4 - Latest Claude model with advanced reasoning
O3-mini - OpenAI's reasoning model

#Step 3: Your First Conversation

Start with a simple greeting or question:

"Hello! What can you help me with today?" "Show me what tools are available" "I'm new here, what are some things I can try?"

#Step 4: Try a Built-in Tool

Experience the power of integrated tools:

"What's the weather like in San Francisco?" "Create a pie chart with data: Apples 30, Oranges 25, Bananas 45" "Convert 100 USD to EUR" "Create a simple document about AI benefits"

#Step 5: Explore Advanced Features

Once comfortable, try these advanced capabilities:

"Start a voice conversation" "Connect to my GitHub repository" "Create a new project for my work" "Show me all available MCP servers"

#🚀 Essential First Actions

#Set Up Your Workspace

Create Your First Project:

"Create a new project called 'Learning MCP Chat'" "Set the project description to 'Exploring MCP Chat features'"

Organize Your Conversations:

"Start a new thread for testing features" "Create a thread for my development work"

#Configure Your Preferences

Adjust Model Settings:

Try different models to see which you prefer
Some models have special features (voice, reasoning, etc.)
Check usage limits and costs

Enable Tools:

"Show me all available tools" "Enable the GitHub integration" "What MCP servers can I connect to?"

#💡 Quick Wins - Try These Examples

#1. Data Visualization

User: "Create a bar chart showing: Q1: 1200, Q2: 1500, Q3: 1800, Q4: 2100" AI: [Creates an interactive bar chart showing quarterly data]

#2. Code Help

User: "Write a Python function to calculate fibonacci numbers" AI: [Provides a clean, well-documented function with explanation]

#3. Information Lookup

User: "What's the current weather in Tokyo?" AI: [Fetches real-time weather data and presents it clearly]

#4. Document Creation

User: "Create a meeting agenda for discussing Q4 planning" AI: [Generates a structured agenda document]

#5. Language Tasks

User: "Translate 'Hello, how are you?' to Spanish, French, and German" AI: [Provides accurate translations with pronunciation notes]

#🎨 Interface Overview

#Chat Area

Messages appear in conversation bubbles
Code blocks are syntax-highlighted
Charts and visuals render inline
Tool outputs are clearly marked
Timestamps show when messages were sent

Projects - Organize your work
Threads - Multiple conversations
Settings - Configure preferences
Tools - Available integrations

#Input Controls

Text input - Type your messages
Voice button - Start voice conversations
Tool selector - Choose specific tools
Model picker - Switch AI models

#Message Features

Copy - Copy any message content
Edit - Modify your messages
Regenerate - Get alternative AI responses
Tools - See which tools were used

#🔧 Common First Tasks

#Connect External Services

GitHub Integration:

"Help me connect my GitHub account" "Show me my GitHub repositories" "Analyze my main project repository"

Web Research:

"Search for the latest news about artificial intelligence" "Get information about renewable energy trends" "Research competitors in the SaaS market"

#Create Content

Documentation:

"Help me write a README for my project" "Create user documentation for a login feature" "Generate API documentation examples"

Analysis:

"Analyze this CSV data and create visualizations" "Review this code and suggest improvements" "Examine this text for key insights"

#🎯 Model-Specific Features

#Voice-Enabled Models

GPT-4o supports real-time voice conversations:

"Start a voice chat" "Let's discuss this project verbally"

#Reasoning Models

O3-mini and Claude Sonnet 4 have advanced reasoning:

"Think through this complex problem step by step" "Analyze the pros and cons of this decision"

#Coding Specialists

Claude 3.5 Sonnet excels at programming:

"Review my code for security issues" "Help me debug this function" "Suggest architectural improvements"

#🚨 Quick Tips for Success

#1. Be Specific

Instead of: "Help me with code" Try: "Review this React component for performance issues"

#2. Use Context

"I'm working on a Node.js API for user authentication. Help me implement JWT token validation middleware."

#3. Leverage Tools

"Use the weather tool to check San Francisco weather" "Create a chart with this sales data" "Search GitHub for authentication examples"

#4. Organize Your Work

Create projects for different types of work
Use threads to keep conversations focused
Name things clearly for easy reference

#5. Experiment with Models

Try different models for the same task
Use voice for brainstorming sessions
Switch models based on your current need

#🔄 Next Steps

Once you're comfortable with the basics:

Explore AI Models - Learn about each model's strengths
Master the Chat Interface - Advanced chat features
Connect Tools - Enable powerful integrations
Set Up Projects - Organize your workflow
Try Advanced Features - External tool integrations

#💬 Example Conversation Starters

For Developers:

"Analyze my Python code for potential bugs" "Help me design a database schema for an e-commerce app" "Create unit tests for this JavaScript function"

For Analysts:

"Create visualizations from this dataset" "Analyze trends in user behavior data" "Generate a report summary from these metrics"

For Writers:

"Help me outline a technical blog post" "Improve the clarity of this documentation" "Research and summarize information about blockchain"

For Managers:

"Create a project timeline for our product launch" "Draft an email to stakeholders about the quarterly results" "Analyze team productivity metrics"

#✨ Pro Tips

Start Simple: Begin with basic requests and gradually explore advanced features
Use Natural Language: Talk to the AI like you would a knowledgeable colleague
Provide Context: The more context you give, the better the responses
Iterate: Don't hesitate to ask follow-up questions or request modifications
Explore: Try different tools and models to find what works best for you

Welcome to MCP Chat! You're now ready to have productive AI conversations. The platform learns and adapts to your needs - the more you use it, the more valuable it becomes.

Quick Start Guide | MCP Chat