Why do we need MCP Components?

There are a few obvious paths to building UIs for agents—but they don't work well at scale. Here's why we need a better approach.

Approaches That Don't Scale

There are several methods that fall short when building AI-powered interfaces at scale.

Let the LLM Build the UI

Agents build UIs from raw data on the fly

Slow

Building UIs from scratch each time is computationally expensive

Inconsistent

Every response is a gamble—different styles, layouts, and bugs

Token-intensive

UI generation inflates prompts, hurting performance

Hard to brand

No control over presentation or fidelity

Chat App Builds the UI

Let ChatGPT/Claude/Gemini build all UI components

Not scalable

No company can anticipate every domain or data source

Closed system

You can't customize the experience or insert your brand

No monetization

There's no clear way for tool builders to get paid

The Fractal Solution: Component MCP Servers

We propose a better architecture: MCP servers that return lightweight, reusable UI components

Instead of just sending data, an MCP server returns:

UI Template

HTML as a string

Initial Data

JSON payload

Refetch Function

For live updates

Options

Auth, refresh, caching

Agents don't need to generate the UI—they just compose components from different servers into a full screen experience.

This makes responses:

FastNo need to synthesize UI from scratch
ConsistentSame tool = same UI = better trust
ComposableMultiple components in one response
CustomizableAgents can apply user styling preferences
ReusableOne component works across multiple agents

Companies Regain UI Control in the Agent World

Component MCP servers aren't just better for agents—they're better for companies too

Brand Identity & Control

  • Retain your brand identity (layout, visuals, voice)
  • Control the UX your users receive—even through third-party agents
  • Avoid being reduced to text blobs by LLMs

Monetization & Integration

  • Monetize usage of your tools directly (via Fractal's protocol)
  • Offer seamless integration of subscriptions, user authentication, and transactions
  • Your MCP server becomes your new digital storefront

Fractal Makes This Easy

Everything you need to build and deploy component MCP servers

SDKs

Build and serve components fast with our comprehensive developer kits

Registry

A central registry where agents can discover your tools

Infrastructure

Authentication, search, and monetization infrastructure

Registries

Public and private registries—so you can go open or internal