What is the adoption and standardization status of Discovery of Model Context Protocol Servers via DNS TXT Records?

Internet-Draft, Intended Status: Informational; expires 12 April 2027 — phase draft, governed by Individual Internet-Draft by a single author; not adopted by an IETF working group per the page text (Network Working Group, Intended Status: Informational).. Adoption: unmeasured. Version: draft-morrison-mcp-dns-discovery-08 (2026-10-09). Last verified 2026-10-18.

How does Discovery of Model Context Protocol Servers via DNS TXT Records compare to other discover protocols?

Discovery of Model Context Protocol Servers via DNS TXT Records is one of 17 standards at step 1, Discover (What is here, and where?). It pairs with Model Context Protocol, DNS for AI Discovery, Agent Identity and Discovery. It builds on Model Context Protocol. Every standard at this step is listed at https://agenticweb.wiki/category/discover/.

Discovery of Model Context Protocol Servers via DNS TXT Records

1 · Discover

Candidate · auto-drafted, unreviewed · confidence 80%

Discovery of Model Context Protocol Servers via DNS TXT Records
Category	Discover
Governed by	Individual Internet-Draft by a single author; not adopted by an IETF working group per the page text (Network Working Group, Intended Status: Informational).
Status	Internet-Draft, Intended Status: Informational; expires 12 April 2027
Phase	draft
Implementation	unknown
Adoption	unmeasured
Version	draft-morrison-mcp-dns-discovery-08 (2026-10-09)
Specification	https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/draft-morrison-mcp-dns-discovery-08
Found at	_mcp.<domain>
Last checked	2026-10-18
Freshness	current · checked 2026-10-18
Solves	Let agents discover my API or service, Expose tools to agents, Prove an agent's identity

Discovery of Model Context Protocol Servers via DNS TXT Records is an agentic-web standard (DNS record) at step 1, Discover, governed by Individual Internet-Draft by a single author; its own status is "Internet-Draft, Intended Status: Informational; expires 12 April 2027" (draft). It answers: How can a client discover an MCP server's endpoint, the operating organisation's identity, and a signed ~handle identity envelope using DNS TXT records under a domain? Adoption is unmeasured, last verified 2026-10-18.

Discover This Internet-Draft defines three DNS TXT records: _mcp.<domain> for MCP server endpoint, transport, key and capability profile; _org-alter.<domain> for operator organisational identity; and _alter.<domain> for an Ed25519-signed ~handle envelope. DNSSEC validation is required for the envelope record, and a DANE TLSA pin is required on the MCP endpoint in some cases. It follows the DKIM, SPF, DMARC and MTA-STS precedent and discusses related DNS-based discovery drafts (AGENT-AID, DNS-AID, MDNS-AGENT).

Discovery and probe

DNS TXT records at _mcp.<domain>, _org-alter.<domain> and _alter.<domain>; DNSSEC required for the envelope record, DANE TLSA pin on the MCP endpoint where required · _mcp.<domain>

DNS TXT query _mcp.<domain>
parse:     Parse the semicolon-delimited key=value TXT record (endpoint URL, protocol family, transport, key, capability profile); optionally query _org-alter.<domain> and _alter.<domain>
on absent: Treat the domain as not advertising MCP discovery via DNS (NXDOMAIN or no TXT record)

Not probed live: no-fixed-path. candidate record; probe rule pending

History

2026-10-16 — auto-drafted candidate from exa (https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/draft-morrison-mcp-dns-discovery-08)

Instances

No instances recorded yet.

References

The Internet-Draft defines three DNS TXT records (_mcp, _org-alter, _alter) for MCP server discovery, organisational identity, and a signed Ed25519 handle envelope, with Informational intended status and expiry on 12 April 2027. — https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/draft-morrison-mcp-dns-discovery-08 (2026-10-09) REPORTED

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