📊 Metabase MCP Server

📚 Table of Contents

1. What is this tool about?
2. Video Walkthrough
3. Architecture Diagram
4. Getting Started
   • Set Up Metabase
   • Install uv Package Manager
   • Clone or Download the Repository
   • Install dependencies
   • Configure Your Credentials
   • Connect to Your MCP client
5. Configuration Options
6. Getting Your Metabase API Key
7. DXT File Support
8. How to Create Your Own DXT File
9. Remote Deployment
10. Debugging with MCP Inspector
11. Available Tools
12. Example Prompts to Try
13. Connect with Us
14. License

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😊 What is this tool about?

Metabase MCP Server is a backend integration layer that connects your Metabase instance with AI assistants using the Model Context Protocol (MCP). This allows business leaders, product managers and analysts to interact with business intelligence assets like dashboards and charts using natural language—through any MCP client (e.g., Claude Desktop).

Instead of navigating through menus or constructing SQL queries manually, you can:

• You can ask a question and get an instant insight.
• Generate dashboards and charts by describing what you want.
• Manage user access and database connections through simple instructions.

This project makes Metabase not just a dashboarding tool—but a conversational, intelligent business assistant.

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🎥 Video Walkthrough

Watch this video to see the Metabase MCP Server in action:

<img src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/1-86KuNwbdE/maxresdefault.jpg">

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📐 Architecture Diagram

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🚀 Getting Started

1. Set Up Metabase (If you haven't already)

Follow the official Metabase installation guide: Metabase Docs

2. Install uv Package Manager

Install uv which includes Python and package management:

Windows:

powershell -ExecutionPolicy ByPass -c "irm https://astral.sh/uv/install.ps1 | iex"

macOS/Linux:

curl -LsSf https://astral.sh/uv/install.sh | sh

Or install via package managers:

# macOS
brew install uv

# Windows (via Scoop)
scoop install uv

# Windows (via Chocolatey)
choco install uv

For more information about uv installation and usage, please visit the official documentation: https://docs.astral.sh/uv/getting-started/installation/

3. Clone or Download the Repository

You need to get this tool onto your computer. You can either download it manually or use Git. Open your computer's Terminal (Mac) or Command Prompt (Windows). Navigate to the folder where you unzipped the files or want to clone the project:

# Example (replace with your actual path):
cd ~/Downloads/metabase-mcp-server-dev

Option 1: Download ZIP

1. Go to the GitHub repository
2. Click the green "Code" button
3. Select "Download ZIP"
4. Unzip the downloaded file to a location like your Documents folder

Option 2: Use Git If you're familiar with Git, run this in your terminal:

git clone https://github.com/codewalnut/metabase-mcp-server.git
cd metabase-mcp-server

4. Install dependencies

This command will automatically:

• Install the required Python version (if not already available)
• Create a virtual environment for the project
• Install all necessary packages and dependencies

uv sync

5. Configure Your Credentials

You have three options to configure your Metabase credentials for the MCP Server:

Option 1: Using a .env file (Recommended) Create a .env file in the project root:

METABASE_URL=http://localhost:3000
METABASE_API_KEY=mb_xxx_your_key
PORT=3200
HOST=localhost
TRANSPORT=streamable-http
LOG_LEVEL=DEBUG

Option 2: Using command-line arguments Pass configuration directly via command line:

 uv run src/metabase_mcp_server.py --metabase-url http://localhost:3000 --metabase-api-key "YOUR_API_KEY" --port 3200 --host localhost --transport streamable-http --log-level DEBUG

Option 3: Using environment variables in MCP client config Configure directly in your MCP client without a .env file (see examples below).

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "metabase": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "C:\\Users\\YourName\\Projects\\metabase-mcp-server\\.venv\\Scripts\\python.exe",
      "args": [
        "C:\\Users\\YourName\\Projects\\metabase-mcp-server\\src\\metabase_mcp_server.py"
      ],
      "env": {
        "METABASE_URL": "http://localhost:3000",
        "METABASE_API_KEY": "mb_xxx_your_key",
        "PORT": 3200,
        "HOST": "localhost",
        "TRANSPORT": "streamable-http",
        "LOG_LEVEL": "DEBUG"
      }
    }
  }
}

6. Connect to Your MCP client

Choose your preferred MCP clients like Claude Desktop app, Claude Code, Cursor, Windsurf etc., and add the Metabase MCP server in their respective configuration files. All MCP clients follow a similar configuration pattern.

Configuration Examples

For stdio transport (recommended for local MCP server):

Windows:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "metabase": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "C:\\Users\\YourName\\Projects\\metabase-mcp-server\\.venv\\Scripts\\python.exe",
      "args": [
        "C:\\Users\\YourName\\Projects\\metabase-mcp-server\\src\\metabase_mcp_server.py"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Mac:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "metabase": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "/Users/YourName/Projects/metabase-mcp-server/venv/Scripts/python",
      "args": [
        "/Users/YourName/Projects/metabase-mcp-server/src/metabase_mcp_server.py"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Key Differences:

• Windows uses backslashes \\ in paths
• macOS/Linux uses forward slashes / in paths
• Make sure to match the correct format based on your OS to avoid errors

Important Notes:

• Replace FULL_PATH with the actual absolute path to your project directory
• After saving configuration changes, restart your MCP client to apply the new settings
• For project-specific tools in Cursor, create a .cursor/mcp.json file in your project directory
• For global tools in Cursor, create a ~/.cursor/mcp.json file in your home directory

For streamable-http transport (recommended for remote MCP server):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "metabase": {
      "type": "streamable-http",
      "url": "http://localhost:3200/mcp/"
    }
  }
}

Compatible MCP clients

Click on any client to visit their official MCP setup documentation:

Client	Official MCP Documentation
	Anthropic's official MCP guide for Claude Desktop
	Official Claude Code MCP setup documentation
	Cursor's official MCP configuration guide
	Windsurf official MCP setup documentation
	Cline's official MCP quickstart guide
	VS Code Copilot MCP server configuration

Once you have added the configuration, the MCP server should be visible in your MCP client.

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🔧 Configuration Options

The Metabase MCP Server supports flexible configuration through environment variables, command-line arguments, or a combination of both.

Environment Variables

Variable	Description	Default Value	Example
METABASE_URL	Your Metabase instance URL	Required	http://127.0.0.1:3000
METABASE_API_KEY	Your Metabase API key	Required	mb_xxx_your_api_key
TRANSPORT	Transport protocol	streamable-http	stdio, streamable-http
HOST	Host for HTTP transports	localhost	0.0.0.0, 127.0.0.1
PORT	Port for HTTP transports	3200	8080, 9000
LOG_LEVEL	Logging level	INFO	DEBUG, WARNING, ERROR

Command-line Arguments

Argument	Description	Default Value
--metabase-url	Metabase instance URL	Required
--metabase-api-key	Metabase API key	Required
--transport	Transport protocol	streamable-http
--host	Host for HTTP transports	localhost
--port	Port for HTTP transports	3200
--log-level	Logging verbosity level	INFO

Transport Protocols

Protocol	Description	Use Case
stdio	Standard input/output communication	Best for local integrations (Claude Desktop, Cursor, etc.)
streamable-http	HTTP-based streaming protocol	Ideal for remote deployments and web-based integrations
sse	Server-Sent Events over HTTP	⚠️ Deprecated - Not recommended for new setups

Configuration Priority

Configuration values are applied in the following priority order (highest to lowest):

1. Command-line arguments (overrides everything)
2. Environment variables (overrides defaults)
3. Default values

Complete Command Examples

uv run src/metabase_mcp_server.py --transport streamable-http --host localhost --port 3200 --metabase-url http://127.0.0.1:3000 --metabase-api-key mb_xxx_your_key

Note: You don't need to pass every parameter when running the server. However, you must provide the Metabase URL and API key. Any parameters not specified will use their default values as shown above.

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🔑 Getting Your Metabase API Key

To get your Metabase API key:

1. Log into your Metabase instance
2. Click on your profile picture (top-right corner)
3. Select "Account settings"
4. Navigate to the "API Keys" tab
5. Click "Create API Key"
6. Give your key a descriptive name (e.g., "MCP Server Key")
7. Copy the generated key (starts with mb_)

⚠️ Important: Store your API key securely and never commit it to version control. The key provides full access to your Metabase instance.

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📂 DXT File Support

You no longer need to go through the steps of cloning the repository and setting up the environment. Simply follow the steps below to install the Metabase MCP Server in your Cloude Desktop App:

1. Download the DXT File
   Check the link below to download the latest DXT file directly:
   Download DXT File

2. Open the Cloude Desktop App
   Once you have the file, open the Cloude Desktop App on your system.

3. Navigate to Extensions Settings
   In the Cloude Desktop App:

   • Go to Files → Settings → Extensions
   • Then click on Advanced Settings.

4. Select the DXT File
   In the Advanced Settings section, click on Choose File, select the downloaded DXT file.

5. Enter the Required Details
   After slecting the DXT file, a prompt will appear asking you to fill in the required details:

   • Metabase URL: Enter your Metabase server URL.
   • API Key: Add the relevant API key for authentication.

6. Complete the Setup
   After entering the necessary details, click Save to apply the configuration.

That's it! The Metabase MCP Server is now installed and ready to use in your Cloude Desktop App.

How to Create Your Own DXT File

If you want to create your own DXT file, please visit the Official Guide:
Creating Your Own DXT File

🚀 Remote Deployment

For production use or team collaboration, you can deploy the Metabase MCP Server remotely. We use this approach internally at Codewalnut.

Docker Deployment

We've included Docker configuration files to make remote deployment straightforward.

Quick Start with Docker

# Build the Docker image
docker build -t metabase-mcp-server .

# Run with environment variables
docker run -d \
  -p 3200:3200 \
  -e METABASE_URL="http://your-metabase-instance.com" \
  -e METABASE_API_KEY="mb_xxx_your_api_key" \
  metabase-mcp-server

Docker Compose (Recommended)

version: "3.8"
services:
  metabase-mcp:
    build: .
    ports:
      - "3200:3200"
    environment:
      - METABASE_URL=http://your-metabase-instance.com
      - METABASE_API_KEY=mb_xxx_your_api_key
      ##- PORT=3200
      ##- HOST=localhost
      ##- TRANSPORT=streamable-http
      ##- LOG_LEVEL=DEBUG
    restart: unless-stopped

Connecting to Remote MCP Server

Once deployed, configure your MCP clients to connect to the remote server:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "metabase": {
      "type": "streamable-http",
      "url": "http://server-ip:3200/mcp/"
    }
  }
}

Deployment Options

• Cloud Providers: AWS ECS, Google Cloud Run, Azure Container Instances
• VPS/Dedicated Servers: DigitalOcean, Linode, Vultr
• Container Platforms: Kubernetes, Docker Swarm
• Platform-as-a-Service: Railway, Render, Fly.io

Security Considerations

• Use HTTPS in production environments
• Implement proper firewall rules
• Consider VPN access for sensitive business data
• Regularly rotate API keys
• Monitor access logs

Need Help with Deployment?

Our team at CodeWalnut offers deployment and consulting services. Contact us for enterprise-grade setup and support.

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🔍 Debugging with MCP Inspector

To debug and test your Metabase MCP Server setup, you can use the official MCP Inspector tool.

Prerequisites

First, install Node.js if you haven't already:

• Download from: nodejs.org

• Or install via package manager:

  # macOS
  brew install node
  
  # Windows (via Chocolatey)
  choco install nodejs
  
  # Windows (via Scoop)
  scoop install nodejs
  

Install and Run MCP Inspector

# Install MCP Inspector globally
npm install -g @modelcontextprotocol/inspector

# Run the inspector with your Metabase MCP Server
npx @modelcontextprotocol/inspector uv run FULL_PATH/metabase-mcp-server/src/metabase_mcp_server.py

Using MCP Inspector

The MCP Inspector provides:

• Real-time tool testing - Execute MCP tools directly from the web interface
• Request/Response monitoring - See exactly what data is being sent and received
• Error debugging - Identify configuration or API issues quickly
• Schema validation - Verify that your tools are properly defined

Once running, open your browser to http://localhost:5173 to access the inspector interface.

Common Debugging Scenarios

• Connection issues - Verify your Metabase URL and API key
• Permission errors - Check if your API key has the required permissions

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🔧 Available Tools

Function	Description
Collection Operations
get_metabase_collection	Get a collection by ID
create_metabase_collection	Create a new collection
update_metabase_collection	Update collection metadata
delete_metabase_collection	Delete a collection
Chart (Card) Operations
get_metabase_cards	List all charts
get_card_query_results	Get results from a chart query
create_metabase_card	Create a new chart
update_metabase_card	Update an existing chart
delete_metabase_card	Delete a chart
Dashboard Operations
get_metabase_dashboards	List all dashboards
get_dashboard_by_id	Get a dashboard by ID
get_dashboard_cards	Get cards in a dashboard
get_dashboard_items	Get all dashboard items
create_metabase_dashboard	Create a dashboard
update_metabase_dashboard	Update a dashboard
delete_metabase_dashboard	Delete a dashboard
copy_metabase_dashboard	Create a copy of an existing dashboard
Database Operations
get_metabase_databases	List databases
create_metabase_database	Create a new database connection
update_metabase_database	Update a database connection
delete_metabase_database	Delete a database connection
User Operations
get_metabase_users	List all users
get_metabase_current_user	Get current user details
create_metabase_user	Create a new user
update_metabase_user	Update user info
delete_metabase_user	Delete a user
Group Operations
get_metabase_groups	List user groups
create_metabase_group	Create a user group
delete_metabase_group	Delete a user group
SQL Operations
execute_sql_query	Execute a native SQL query

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🧪 Example Prompts to Try

• Create a dashboard called 'Flight Overview' with a bar chart showing flights by destination city.
• Run SQL: SELECT origin, destination, COUNT(*) FROM flights GROUP BY origin, destination LIMIT 10.
• Create a card displaying total bookings last month grouped by region.
• Delete the chart named 'Abandoned Queries'.
• Update the dashboard 'Sales KPIs' to include a new revenue card.
• Show all users in the 'Admin' group.
• Create a new group called 'Finance Analysts'.
• Connect to a Supabase database and list all tables.

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🌐 Connect with Us

Stay connected and get support through our community channels:

🏢 Official Links

• 🌍 Website: codewalnut.com
• 📧 Email: nattu@codewalnut.com
• 📖 Blogs:
  • insights: codewalnut.com/insights
  • learn: codewalnut.com/learn

📱 Social Media

• 💼 LinkedIn: CodeWalnut
• 📺 YouTube: CodeWalnut Channel
• 🐦 Twitter/X: @codewalnut
• 📷 Instagram: @codewalnut

💬 Community Support

• 📧 Newsletter: Subscribe to CodeWalnut Newsletter (scroll down to find the email subscription option)
• 🐙 GitHub: codewalnut

🤝 Professional Services

• Consulting: Custom Metabase integrations and AI solutions
• Training: MCP and business intelligence workshops
• Support: Enterprise-grade support and maintenance

📢 Follow us for updates on new MCP servers, AI integrations, and business intelligence tools!

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📜 License

This project is licensed under the Apache License 2.0.

You can find the full license text in the LICENSE file.

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