> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.adcontextprotocol.org/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Building with AdCP

> Build with AdCP: integration guides for MCP and A2A protocols, authentication, async operations, error handling, and orchestrator design patterns.

This section provides everything you need to understand, integrate, and build robust systems with AdCP.

## Learning Path

<CardGroup cols={3}>
  <Card title="Understanding AdCP" icon="lightbulb" href="/dist/docs/3.0.0-rc.2/building/understanding">
    Why AdCP exists, the problems it solves, and protocol comparison. Start here if you're new.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Foundations" icon="cubes" href="/dist/docs/3.0.0-rc.2/building/integration">
    Technical building blocks: MCP or A2A protocols, capability discovery, authentication, and data models.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Implementation Patterns" icon="gears" href="/dist/docs/3.0.0-rc.2/building/implementation">
    Build production-ready systems with async operations, webhooks, error handling, and orchestrator patterns.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Quick Start

**Already know which protocol you're using?**

* [MCP Integration Guide](/dist/docs/3.0.0-rc.2/building/integration/mcp-guide) - For Claude, AI assistants, and MCP-compatible tools
* [A2A Integration Guide](/dist/docs/3.0.0-rc.2/building/integration/a2a-guide) - For Google AI agents and A2A-compatible workflows

**Need to choose a protocol?**

See [Protocol Comparison](/dist/docs/3.0.0-rc.2/building/understanding/protocol-comparison) for a detailed comparison.

## Section Overview

### Understanding AdCP

Conceptual foundation for everyone working with AdCP:

* **[Why AdCP](/dist/docs/3.0.0-rc.2/building/understanding)** - The strategic vision: unifying buying paradigms and enabling AI surfaces
* **[Protocol Comparison](/dist/docs/3.0.0-rc.2/building/understanding/protocol-comparison)** - MCP vs A2A at a glance

### Foundations

Technical building blocks for any AdCP implementation:

* **[MCP Guide](/dist/docs/3.0.0-rc.2/building/integration/mcp-guide)** - Tool calls, context, and examples
* **[A2A Guide](/dist/docs/3.0.0-rc.2/building/integration/a2a-guide)** - Tasks, streaming, and artifacts
* **[Capability Discovery](/dist/docs/3.0.0-rc.2/protocol/get_adcp_capabilities)** - Discover what an agent supports
* **[Authentication](/dist/docs/3.0.0-rc.2/building/integration/authentication)** - Credentials and permissions
* **[Context & Sessions](/dist/docs/3.0.0-rc.2/building/integration/context-sessions)** - Managing state across requests
* **[Schemas and SDKs](/dist/docs/3.0.0-rc.2/building/schemas-and-sdks)** - Access schemas and official client libraries

### Implementation Patterns

For building robust, production-ready systems:

* **[Task Lifecycle](/dist/docs/3.0.0-rc.2/building/implementation/task-lifecycle)** - Status values, transitions, and polling
* **[Async Operations](/dist/docs/3.0.0-rc.2/building/implementation/async-operations)** - Handling sync, async, and interactive tasks
* **[Webhooks](/dist/docs/3.0.0-rc.2/building/implementation/webhooks)** - Push notifications and reliability patterns
* **[Error Handling](/dist/docs/3.0.0-rc.2/building/implementation/error-handling)** - Error categories, codes, and recovery
* **[Security](/dist/docs/3.0.0-rc.2/building/implementation/security)** - Security considerations and best practices
* **[Orchestrator Design](/dist/docs/3.0.0-rc.2/building/implementation/orchestrator-design)** - State machines and system architecture