Model Context Protocol (MCP) Server: io.github.djstreet11/rowbase

This MCP server provides safe, read-only-by-default access to MySQL, PostgreSQL, and SQLite for AI agents. It is described as delivering “TOON output,” and is identified by the slug io.github.djstreet11/rowbase.

🛠️ Key Features

Safe access
Read-only-by-default database connectivity
Supports MySQL, PostgreSQL, and SQLite
Produces “TOON output”

🚀 Use Cases

Letting AI agents query relational databases in a read-only manner
Integrating MySQL, PostgreSQL, or SQLite data into agent workflows

⚡ Developer Benefits

Connectors for three common SQL database engines
Default read-only behavior for safer operations

⚠️ Limitations

Limited to read-only access as stated in the description
No additional capabilities (e.g., writes, admin actions, authentication details) are provided in the available data

Rowbase icon

Rowbase

A fast, good-looking, read-only-by-default database client — for humans and for AI agents.
MySQL / MariaDB · PostgreSQL · SQLite · native macOS app · one-file app for macOS, Linux & Windows · built-in MCP server

MCP Registry

Rowbase: table browser with row inspector

Why Rowbase?

Safe by default. Every connection is read-only until you say otherwise — enforced at four independent layers (driver-level single statement, SQL guard, READ ONLY transaction, timeouts). Production connections get a red accent.
Made for AI assistants too. A built-in MCP server lets Claude, Cursor, Codex & co. explore your schema and query data — read-only unless you allow writes, with a token-efficient output format (TOON) and a built-in guide so the assistant knows how to use it. One copy-paste prompt sets everything up.
One file, no installer. Download a single binary for macOS, Linux or Windows and run it — no admin rights, no Python, no drivers to install. Or use the native macOS app.
No SQL required. Filter any column from its header like in DataGrip — pick values from a list with counts, or use contains / starts with / between / LIKE / regex / NULL — and build whole queries visually (joins, counts and sums, conditions, sorting) in the query builder, with the generated SQL shown live.
Nice to use. Foreign-key navigation (also for UUID references without FKs, e.g. 1C-style schemas), "referenced by", transpose, column picker, schema-aware autocomplete, EXPLAIN highlighting, query cancel, inline editing with SQL preview, export to CSV/JSON/Markdown/SQL, SSH tunnels.
Open source under Apache-2.0. Passwords live in your OS keychain, never in config files.



SQL editor: autocomplete, ⌘↩ runs the statement under the caret, EXPLAIN, cancel	Edit rows safely: pending changes, SQL preview, one atomic save

Download

Grab the latest from Releases:

Platform	File	How to run
macOS (native app)	`Rowbase-x.y.z.dmg`	open, drag to Applications
macOS (one file)	`rowbase-macos-arm64`	`chmod +x rowbase-macos-arm64 && ./rowbase-macos-arm64`
Ubuntu / Debian	`rowbase_x.y.z_amd64.deb` / `_arm64.deb`	double-click → Install (or `sudo apt install ./rowbase_.deb`), then start Rowbase* from the apps menu
Linux, no root	one command	`curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/djstreet11/Rowbase/main/packaging/install.sh \| sh` — installs to `~/.local/bin` + apps menu
Linux x64 / arm64 (one file)	`rowbase-linux-x64` / `-arm64`	`chmod +x rowbase-linux-* && ./rowbase-linux-x64` (Ubuntu 20.04+, Debian 10+, RHEL 8+)
Windows 10 / 11	`rowbase-windows-x64.exe`	double-click

Started without arguments (or from the apps menu), Rowbase opens the web UI in your browser; starting it again just reopens the page. A downloaded Linux one-file binary has no "executable" flag, so a double-click does nothing — use the .deb or the install command above, or chmod +x it. Builds are not code-signed yet: macOS → System Settings → Privacy & Security → Open Anyway; Windows → More info → Run anyway.

Updates. The Mac app: Rowbase → Check for Updates… (from 0.3.0). One-file binaries: rowbase update, or the Update button in the web UI. PyPI installs: pipx upgrade rowbase-db. The only request is an anonymous check of GitHub Releases, at most once a day — no telemetry; turn it off with ROWBASE_NO_UPDATE_CHECK=1.

Connect your AI assistant (MCP)

Open AI / MCP in the app, click Copy prompt, paste it into your assistant — it registers the server, reads the built-in guide and creates a reusable skill. Or register manually:

bash

claude mcp add rowbase -- /path/to/rowbase mcp          # one-file binary or app
claude mcp add rowbase -- uvx --from rowbase-db rowbase mcp   # straight from PyPI, nothing to download

Listed in the official MCP Registry as io.github.djstreet11/rowbase.

Results come back as compact TOON tables (~40% fewer tokens than JSON):

code

rows[2]{id,customer,total}:
  1,"Smith, Bob",9.50
  2,ann,null
truncated: false

Tools: guide, connections, databases, tables, describe, search_schema, sample, count, query, explain, find_ref (+ apply_changes only when you allow writes). Details: docs/MCP.md.

CLI

Install from PyPI (pipx install rowbase-db / uv tool install rowbase-db) or use a one-file download.

bash

rowbase add shop 'postgres://me@db.example.com/shop?ssh=deploy@bastion'   # read-only unless --rw
rowbase tables -c shop
rowbase q "SELECT * FROM orders WHERE status = 'new'" -c shop --format json
rowbase ui        # web UI on http://127.0.0.1:8765
rowbase mcp       # MCP server (stdio)
rowbase doctor    # environment report
rowbase update    # update a one-file binary in place (--check: only check)

Dark mode

Build from source

Python track: python3 -m venv .venv && .venv/bin/pip install -e . && .venv/bin/rowbase ui
One-file binaries: docs/BUILDING.md · Native macOS app: cd native && swift build · releases: docs/RELEASING.md
Architecture & roadmap: SPEC.md

Contributing

Issues, ideas and pull requests are welcome — see CONTRIBUTING.md and the Code of Conduct. If Rowbase is useful to you, a ⭐ helps others find it.

License

Apache-2.0 — see NOTICE and THIRD_PARTY_LICENSES.md.