diff --git a/docs/building-clients.md b/docs/building-clients.md
index d39beda6..b9524e50 100644
--- a/docs/building-clients.md
+++ b/docs/building-clients.md
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ gem 'event_stream_parser', '>= 1.0' # optional, required only for SSE responses
 
 ```ruby
 http_transport = MCP::Client::HTTP.new(url: "https://api.example.com/mcp")
+http_transport.connect
 client = MCP::Client.new(transport: http_transport)
 
 tools = client.tools
@@ -74,16 +75,30 @@ response = client.call_tool(
 )
 ```
 
+### Handshake
+
+Call `connect` to perform the MCP [initialization handshake](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/specification/2025-11-25/basic/lifecycle#initialization): the transport sends an `initialize` request followed by the required `notifications/initialized` notification, and caches the server's `InitializeResult` (protocol version, capabilities, server info, instructions):
+
+```ruby
+http_transport.connect
+# => { "protocolVersion" => "2025-11-25", "capabilities" => {...}, "serverInfo" => {...} }
+
+http_transport.connected? # => true
+http_transport.server_info # => cached InitializeResult
+```
+
+`connect` accepts optional `client_info:`, `protocol_version:`, and `capabilities:` keyword arguments. It is idempotent — a second call returns the cached result without contacting the server. After `close`, state is cleared and `connect` will handshake again.
+
 ### Sessions
 
-After a successful `initialize` request, the transport captures the `Mcp-Session-Id` header and `protocolVersion` from the response and includes the session ID on subsequent requests. Both are exposed on the transport:
+After `connect` succeeds, the transport captures the `Mcp-Session-Id` header and `protocolVersion` from the response and includes them on subsequent requests. Both are exposed on the transport:
 
 ```ruby
 http_transport.session_id       # => "abc123..."
 http_transport.protocol_version # => "2025-11-25"
 ```
 
-If the server terminates the session, subsequent requests return HTTP 404 and the transport raises `MCP::Client::SessionExpiredError` (a subclass of `RequestHandlerError`). Session state is cleared automatically; callers should start a new session by sending a fresh `initialize` request.
+If the server terminates the session, subsequent requests return HTTP 404 and the transport raises `MCP::Client::SessionExpiredError` (a subclass of `RequestHandlerError`). Session state is cleared automatically; callers should start a new session by calling `connect` again.
 
 To explicitly terminate a session (e.g., when the client application is shutting down), call `close`. The transport sends an HTTP DELETE to the MCP endpoint with the session header and clears local session state. A `405 Method Not Allowed` response (server doesn't support client-initiated termination) or `404 Not Found` (session already terminated server-side) is treated as success. Other errors — 5xx, authentication failures, connection errors — propagate to the caller. Local session state is cleared either way. Calling `close` without an active session is a no-op.
 
diff --git a/lib/mcp/client/http.rb b/lib/mcp/client/http.rb
index c0d72471..cbde8ae2 100644
--- a/lib/mcp/client/http.rb
+++ b/lib/mcp/client/http.rb
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 # frozen_string_literal: true
 
+require "securerandom"
+require_relative "../../json_rpc_handler"
+require_relative "../configuration"
 require_relative "../methods"
+require_relative "../version"
 
 module MCP
   class Client
@@ -13,7 +17,7 @@ class HTTP
       SESSION_ID_HEADER = "Mcp-Session-Id"
       PROTOCOL_VERSION_HEADER = "MCP-Protocol-Version"
 
-      attr_reader :url, :session_id, :protocol_version
+      attr_reader :url, :session_id, :protocol_version, :server_info
 
       def initialize(url:, headers: {}, &block)
         @url = url
@@ -21,6 +25,78 @@ def initialize(url:, headers: {}, &block)
         @faraday_customizer = block
         @session_id = nil
         @protocol_version = nil
+        @server_info = nil
+        @connected = false
+      end
+
+      # Performs the MCP `initialize` handshake: sends an `initialize` request
+      # followed by the required `notifications/initialized` notification. The
+      # server's `InitializeResult` (protocol version, capabilities, server
+      # info, instructions) is cached on the transport and returned.
+      #
+      # Idempotent: a second call returns the cached `InitializeResult` without
+      # contacting the server. After `close`, state is cleared and `connect`
+      # will handshake again.
+      #
+      # @param client_info [Hash, nil] `{ name:, version: }` identifying the client.
+      #   Defaults to `{ name: "mcp-ruby-client", version: MCP::VERSION }`.
+      # @param protocol_version [String, nil] Protocol version to offer. Defaults
+      #   to `MCP::Configuration::LATEST_STABLE_PROTOCOL_VERSION`.
+      # @param capabilities [Hash] Capabilities advertised by the client. Defaults to `{}`.
+      # @return [Hash] The server's `InitializeResult`.
+      # @raise [RequestHandlerError] If the server responds with a JSON-RPC error
+      #   or a malformed result.
+      # https://modelcontextprotocol.io/specification/2025-11-25/basic/lifecycle#initialization
+      def connect(client_info: nil, protocol_version: nil, capabilities: {})
+        return @server_info if connected?
+
+        client_info ||= { name: "mcp-ruby-client", version: MCP::VERSION }
+        protocol_version ||= MCP::Configuration::LATEST_STABLE_PROTOCOL_VERSION
+
+        response = send_request(request: {
+          jsonrpc: JsonRpcHandler::Version::V2_0,
+          id: SecureRandom.uuid,
+          method: MCP::Methods::INITIALIZE,
+          params: {
+            protocolVersion: protocol_version,
+            capabilities: capabilities,
+            clientInfo: client_info,
+          },
+        })
+
+        if response.is_a?(Hash) && response.key?("error")
+          error = response["error"]
+          raise RequestHandlerError.new(
+            "Server initialization failed: #{error["message"]}",
+            { method: MCP::Methods::INITIALIZE },
+            error_type: :internal_error,
+          )
+        end
+
+        unless response.is_a?(Hash) && response["result"].is_a?(Hash)
+          raise RequestHandlerError.new(
+            "Server initialization failed: missing result in response",
+            { method: MCP::Methods::INITIALIZE },
+            error_type: :internal_error,
+          )
+        end
+
+        @server_info = response["result"]
+
+        send_request(request: {
+          jsonrpc: JsonRpcHandler::Version::V2_0,
+          method: MCP::Methods::NOTIFICATIONS_INITIALIZED,
+        })
+
+        @connected = true
+        @server_info
+      end
+
+      # Returns true once `connect` has completed the full handshake
+      # (`initialize` response received and `notifications/initialized` sent).
+      # Returns false before the first handshake and after `close`.
+      def connected?
+        @connected
       end
 
       # Sends a JSON-RPC request and returns the parsed response body.
@@ -159,6 +235,8 @@ def capture_session_info(method, response, body)
       def clear_session
         @session_id = nil
         @protocol_version = nil
+        @server_info = nil
+        @connected = false
       end
 
       def require_faraday!
diff --git a/test/mcp/client/http_test.rb b/test/mcp/client/http_test.rb
index 19917dd8..fdff6b58 100644
--- a/test/mcp/client/http_test.rb
+++ b/test/mcp/client/http_test.rb
@@ -695,6 +695,171 @@ def test_close_is_idempotent
         assert_requested(:delete, url, times: 1)
       end
 
+      def test_connect_performs_initialize_handshake
+        init_stub = stub_request(:post, url)
+          .with { |req| JSON.parse(req.body)["method"] == "initialize" }
+          .to_return(
+            status: 200,
+            headers: { "Content-Type" => "application/json", "Mcp-Session-Id" => "s1" },
+            body: {
+              result: {
+                protocolVersion: "2025-11-25",
+                capabilities: { tools: {} },
+                serverInfo: { name: "test-server", version: "1.0" },
+              },
+            }.to_json,
+          )
+
+        notification_stub = stub_request(:post, url)
+          .with { |req| JSON.parse(req.body)["method"] == "notifications/initialized" }
+          .to_return(status: 202, body: "")
+
+        result = client.connect
+
+        assert_requested(init_stub)
+        assert_requested(notification_stub)
+        assert_equal("2025-11-25", result["protocolVersion"])
+        assert_equal({ "tools" => {} }, result["capabilities"])
+        assert_equal({ "name" => "test-server", "version" => "1.0" }, result["serverInfo"])
+      end
+
+      def test_connect_caches_server_info
+        stub_initialize
+        stub_notification
+
+        client.connect
+
+        assert_equal("2025-11-25", client.server_info["protocolVersion"])
+      end
+
+      def test_connect_uses_default_client_info_and_protocol_version
+        notification_stub = stub_notification
+
+        init_stub = stub_request(:post, url)
+          .with do |req|
+            body = JSON.parse(req.body)
+            body["method"] == "initialize" &&
+              body["params"]["protocolVersion"] == MCP::Configuration::LATEST_STABLE_PROTOCOL_VERSION &&
+              body["params"]["clientInfo"] == { "name" => "mcp-ruby-client", "version" => MCP::VERSION } &&
+              body["params"]["capabilities"] == {}
+          end
+          .to_return(
+            status: 200,
+            headers: { "Content-Type" => "application/json" },
+            body: { result: { protocolVersion: MCP::Configuration::LATEST_STABLE_PROTOCOL_VERSION } }.to_json,
+          )
+
+        client.connect
+
+        assert_requested(init_stub)
+        assert_requested(notification_stub)
+      end
+
+      def test_connect_accepts_custom_parameters
+        notification_stub = stub_notification
+
+        init_stub = stub_request(:post, url)
+          .with do |req|
+            body = JSON.parse(req.body)
+            body["method"] == "initialize" &&
+              body["params"]["protocolVersion"] == "2025-03-26" &&
+              body["params"]["clientInfo"] == { "name" => "my-app", "version" => "9.9" } &&
+              body["params"]["capabilities"] == { "roots" => { "listChanged" => true } }
+          end
+          .to_return(
+            status: 200,
+            headers: { "Content-Type" => "application/json" },
+            body: { result: { protocolVersion: "2025-03-26" } }.to_json,
+          )
+
+        client.connect(
+          client_info: { name: "my-app", version: "9.9" },
+          protocol_version: "2025-03-26",
+          capabilities: { roots: { listChanged: true } },
+        )
+
+        assert_requested(init_stub)
+        assert_requested(notification_stub)
+      end
+
+      def test_connect_is_idempotent
+        init_stub = stub_initialize
+        notification_stub = stub_notification
+
+        first_result = client.connect
+        second_result = client.connect
+
+        assert_same(first_result, second_result)
+        assert_requested(init_stub, times: 1)
+        assert_requested(notification_stub, times: 1)
+      end
+
+      def test_connect_raises_on_jsonrpc_error_response
+        stub_request(:post, url).to_return(
+          status: 200,
+          headers: { "Content-Type" => "application/json" },
+          body: { error: { code: -32602, message: "Unsupported protocol version" } }.to_json,
+        )
+
+        error = assert_raises(RequestHandlerError) do
+          client.connect
+        end
+
+        assert_includes(error.message, "Unsupported protocol version")
+        refute_predicate(client, :connected?)
+      end
+
+      def test_connect_raises_on_missing_result
+        stub_request(:post, url).to_return(
+          status: 200,
+          headers: { "Content-Type" => "application/json" },
+          body: { jsonrpc: "2.0", id: "x" }.to_json,
+        )
+
+        error = assert_raises(RequestHandlerError) do
+          client.connect
+        end
+
+        assert_includes(error.message, "missing result in response")
+        refute_predicate(client, :connected?)
+      end
+
+      def test_connected_lifecycle
+        refute_predicate(client, :connected?)
+
+        stub_initialize
+        stub_notification
+        client.connect
+
+        assert_predicate(client, :connected?)
+
+        stub_request(:delete, url).to_return(status: 200)
+        client.close
+
+        refute_predicate(client, :connected?)
+      end
+
+      def test_reconnect_after_close
+        stub_initialize
+        stub_notification
+        client.connect
+        stub_request(:delete, url).to_return(status: 200)
+        client.close
+
+        stub_request(:post, url)
+          .with { |req| JSON.parse(req.body)["method"] == "initialize" }
+          .to_return(
+            status: 200,
+            headers: { "Content-Type" => "application/json", "Mcp-Session-Id" => "s2" },
+            body: { result: { protocolVersion: "2025-11-25" } }.to_json,
+          )
+
+        client.connect
+
+        assert_predicate(client, :connected?)
+        assert_equal("s2", client.session_id)
+      end
+
       def test_close_allows_reinitializing_a_fresh_session
         initialize_session
         stub_request(:delete, url).to_return(status: 200)
@@ -732,6 +897,22 @@ def initialize_session
         client.send_request(request: { jsonrpc: "2.0", id: "1", method: "initialize" })
       end
 
+      def stub_initialize
+        stub_request(:post, url)
+          .with { |req| JSON.parse(req.body)["method"] == "initialize" }
+          .to_return(
+            status: 200,
+            headers: { "Content-Type" => "application/json", "Mcp-Session-Id" => "session-abc" },
+            body: { result: { protocolVersion: "2025-11-25" } }.to_json,
+          )
+      end
+
+      def stub_notification
+        stub_request(:post, url)
+          .with { |req| JSON.parse(req.body)["method"] == "notifications/initialized" }
+          .to_return(status: 202, body: "")
+      end
+
       def stub_request(method, url)
         WebMock.stub_request(method, url)
       end