# MCP Tasks

> An MCP extension that lets long-running tool calls return a task handle, then report progress, request input, or finish later.

- Category: Tools & Protocols
- Stage: Emerging
- Also called: Tasks extension, Async MCP task
- Canonical: https://www.joelcsaji.com/ai-dictionary/mcp-tasks

## Plain English

Instead of blocking until the job is done, the server gives the client a durable job ticket.

## Example

A CI MCP server starts a pipeline, returns a task ID, and later reports whether the build passed.

## Why it matters

Task handles make MCP more practical for real operations that take longer than a normal request timeout.

## Related

- [Background Mode](https://www.joelcsaji.com/ai-dictionary/background-mode)
- [Durable Execution](https://www.joelcsaji.com/ai-dictionary/durable-execution)
- [MCP Elicitation](https://www.joelcsaji.com/ai-dictionary/mcp-elicitation)

## Sources

- [MCP: Tasks Extension](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/extensions/tasks/overview)