kdb-x

The KDB-X MCP Server provides a production-grade interface to query KDB-X data via natural language. It exposes an integrated set of prompts, resources, and tools designed to help you explore database schemas, craft SQL queries, and safely retrieve results from your KDB-X instance. When connected to a host-running KDB-X service, the server will manage tool invocation, guidance, and safety checks to ensure queries are well-formed and within defined limits. The system is designed to auto-discover tools and resources from its directories, streamlining how you access database context, run queries, and interpret results.

To use it, first ensure your MCP Client is configured to communicate with the server using a supported transport (for example streamable-http via npx if you are using Claude Desktop). The server exposes a kdbx_run_sql_query tool for executing SELECT statements against KDB-X, along with resources like kdbx_describe_tables and kdbx_sql_query_guidance to help your LLM understand table structures and write effective queries. You can also load interactive prompts like kdbx_table_analysis to get detailed insights into individual tables. Start your MCP client, ensure the KDB-X service is reachable, and interact in natural language. The client will route requests to the MCP server, which orchestrates prompts, tools, and resources to produce safe, interpretable results.

Typical workflows include discovering database schema, asking for guided SQL examples, performing read-only queries, and requesting concise summaries of large results. The built-in safety protections will automatically detect and block dangerous SQL operations (such as INSERT, DROP, or DELETE) to protect your data, while smart result truncation ensures you receive digestible outputs when query results are large.

Prerequisites

• A KDB-X or KDB+ service running and accessible to the MCP Server
• UV installed on your machine (Windows/Mac/Linux/WSL)
• Node.js and npx only if you plan to use the ND transport options or example configurations that rely on Node-based tooling
• An MCP Client installed and configured to talk to the MCP Server

Installation steps

1. Clone the MCP Server repository

   • git clone https://github.com/kxsystems/kdb-x-mcp-server.git
   • cd kdb-x-mcp-server

2. Install and configure UV

   • Follow UV installation instructions: https://docs.astral.sh/uv/getting-started/installation/
   • Ensure uv is available in your PATH (uv --version)

3. Prepare a reachable KDB-X service

   • Start or ensure a KDB-X service is listening on a host/port accessible by the MCP Server (e.g., q -p 5000)
   • Verify connectivity from the MCP server host

4. Start the MCP server using UV

   • uvx run kdb-x-mcp-server
   • If you use a different transport or client, adjust the command accordingly (e.g., npx for streamable-http transports)

5. Connect an MCP Client

   • Install your MCP Client of choice and configure it to target the MCP Server endpoint established above
   • Follow the client’s instructions to load resources and begin querying your KDB-X data

6. Validate functionality

   • Confirm you can load kdbx_describe_tables and kdbx_sql_query_guidance resources
   • Run a sample query through the client to ensure the kdbx_run_sql_query tool executes correctly

Notes and tips:

• The MCP Server connects to a single KDB Service (KDB-X or KDB+) at a time. Ensure the KDB-X service is reachable from the MCP Server host.
• Transport options such as streamable-http require npx. If you’re using a different MCP Client, consult its transport requirements.
• If you encounter permissions or network issues, verify that the KDB-X port is accessible and that firewall rules allow traffic between the MCP Server and KDB-X service.
• The server supports automatic discovery of tools and resources from their directories, which simplifies extension and customization.
• For best results, ensure UV is running and the MCP Server process has stable network access to the KDB-X service to avoid drops during long queries.