# Create an MCP request for your collection

You create [Model Context Protocol](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/introduction) (MCP) requests to interact with MCP servers. You can use these requests to experiment, test, and evaluate different MCP servers, such as [one from the community](https://www.postman.com/explore/mcp-servers) or one you built yourself.

Postman supports the MCP [standard input and output](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/docs/concepts/transports#standard-input%2Foutput-stdio) (STDIO) and [streamable HTTP](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/docs/concepts/transports#streamable-http) transport layers, and [tools](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/docs/concepts/tools), [prompts](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/docs/concepts/prompts), and [resources](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/docs/concepts/resources) primitives.

<Info class="iconless-callout">
  Looking for an MCP server to try? Check out [Postman's Model Context Protocol (MCP) Catalog](https://www.postman.com/explore/mcp-servers). There you'll find MCP servers—hosted, discoverable, and ready to test. It's built with Postman Collections, so you can leverage APIs from the Postman API Network, including from verified publishers like PayPal, Notion, Stripe, and Google Maps, to ensure your agents are powered by trustworthy and reliable tools.
</Info>

## Create a new MCP request

To create a new MCP request, do the following:

1. Choose an existing workspace or [create a new one](/docs/collaborating-in-postman/using-workspaces/create-workspaces/).

2. Click **New** > <img alt="MCP icon" src="https://assets.postman.com/postman-docs/aether-icons/entity-mcp-stroke.svg#icon" width="16px" /> **MCP**. Postman opens a new MCP request in a new tab.

3. Choose the server's communication method:

   * To use [standard input and output](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/docs/concepts/transports#standard-input%2Foutput-stdio), choose **STDIO**.
   * To use [streamable HTTP](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/docs/concepts/transports#streamable-http), choose **HTTP**.

4. Enter the server's command (STDIO) or URL (streamable HTTP).

   <Info class="iconless-callout">
     **Tip:**
     Alternatively, you can paste an MCP server's JSON configuration.
   </Info>

5. Click **Load Methods**. If prompted, review the consent prompt and grant Postman access to your computer. Postman connects to the server and displays the server's methods.

6. List the server's methods:

   * To list the [tools](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/docs/concepts/tools) methods, open the **Tools** tab.
   * To list the [resources](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/docs/concepts/resources) methods, open the **Resources** tab.
   * To list the [prompts](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/docs/concepts/prompts) methods, open the **Prompts** tab.

   You can also <img alt="Search icon" src="https://assets.postman.com/postman-docs/aether-icons/action-search-stroke.svg#icon" width="16px" /> **Search tools, resources, and prompts**.

7. Choose a method and define its arguments. Postman creates a JSON **Message** for you.

8. If you must authenticate, add your authorization details:

   * To set up STDIO authorization, open the **Environment** tab and add your authorization key-value pairs.

     <Info class="iconless-callout">
       **Important:**
       Use variables to protect your sensitive data. To learn more, see [Store and reuse values using variables](/docs/sending-requests/variables/variables/).
     </Info>

   * To set up streamable HTTP authorization, open the **Authorization** tab, select an **Auth Type**, and add your authorization details. To learn more, see [Add API authorization details to requests in Postman](/docs/sending-requests/authorization/specifying-authorization-details/).

9. Click **Run**.

Postman displays the server's response in the **Response** tab. Postman also displays real-time notifications in the **Notifications** tab. You can use the steps in the following section to save your new MCP request to a collection.

## Save your new MCP request

If you don't have any [multi-protocol collections](/docs/collections/use-collections/add-requests-to-collections/#about-multi-protocol-collections) in your workspace, Postman opens a save request dialog that asks you for a request and collection name. Otherwise, Postman displays more options, such as the option to add your new MCP request to an existing collection.

To save your new MCP request, do the following:

1. Click <img alt="Save icon" src="https://assets.postman.com/postman-docs/aether-icons/action-save-stroke.svg#icon" width="16px" /> **Save**. Postman opens a save request dialog.
2. Name your new MCP request.
3. If you don't have any [multi-protocol collections](/docs/collections/use-collections/add-requests-to-collections/#about-multi-protocol-collections) in your workspace, name your collection and skip to the last step.
4. (Optional) Click **Add description** and describe your new MCP request.
5. To save your new request to an existing collection, select a collection. To save your request to an existing folder, select a folder. If you want to search for a collection or folder, enter your search term in the search box.
6. If you want to create a new collection, click **New Collection**, name your collection, and click **Create**. If you want to create a new folder, click **New Folder**, name your folder, and click **Create**.
7. Click **Save**.

Your new MCP request is ready to use to [interact with an MCP server](/docs/postman-ai/mcp-requests/interact/). You can also [manage your settings](/docs/postman-ai/mcp-requests/manage/).