database-mcp
MCP servers that give AI clients safe, structured access to SQL databases.
One installable package per database engine, in TypeScript (npm) and Python
(PyPI). Every package exposes the same minimal two-tool surface,
execute_sql and search_objects, with guardrails on by default: read-only
mode, row caps, and statement timeouts.
Packages
Both lines are published and pass the same language-agnostic conformance
suite against real databases in CI, so behavior is identical regardless of
language. Every engine is also listed on the
MCP Registry with both install
options.
Go and Rust implementations are planned.
Design principles
- Two tools, no more. A tiny tool surface keeps the model's context window
clean.
search_objects progressively discloses schema: call it with no
arguments to list tables, with a table name to get columns, indexes, and
foreign keys.
- Safe by default. Read-only mode is enforced in two layers: a
conservative SQL guard, plus a session-level read-only setting in the
database itself. Rows are capped (default 1000) and statements time out
(default 30s).
- Configured at launch, never via chat. Connection details come from
flags, a YAML config file, or environment variables. Credentials are never
accepted through a tool call.
- Secrets never appear in logs. Passwords live in non-printable secret
types, DSNs are sanitized before logging, and a redaction filter guards the
log boundary.
Quick start
Pick your engine's package; each README has the full config surface. SQLite
via npm:
{
"mcpServers": {
"sqlite": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "@database-mcp/sqlite", "--dsn", "/absolute/path/to/database.db"]
}
}
}
Or via PyPI: use "command": "uvx" and
"args": ["database-mcp-sqlite", "--dsn", "/absolute/path/to/database.db"].
Flags, environment variables, and YAML config are identical across both
lines.
Networked engines take credentials from the environment (MYSQL_*,
MARIADB_*, POSTGRES_*/DATABASE_URL, LIBSQL_URL/LIBSQL_AUTH_TOKEN),
*_FILE mounted secrets, or a YAML file via --config. Never from a chat
prompt.
Contributing
See CONTRIBUTING.md. The short version: the conformance
suite is the definition of done. A change is mergeable only when
conformance/run.mjs passes against every affected server.
License
MIT
