Easiest way to get started, IMO, would be to use VSCode with Cline or Roo, or a VSCode-derived editor like Cursor AI or Windsurf.

They all have either first-class or experimental MCP support.

Once you have it installed and connected, ask the AI to help you make a rudimentary MCP server, like a “ping” server that just logs pings in memory.

This will demonstrate how they work and how you can make your own.