mongodb

This MongoDB MCP Server exposes a model-contextful interface to your MongoDB databases and MongoDB Atlas using the MCP (Model Context Protocol). It supports a suite of MongoDB-focused tools, including Atlas API access for service accounts, and database operations via a read-only (default) configuration. Clients can connect using a configuration object (for example, from Windsurf, Cursor, or VSCode MCP integrations) that specifies the server command (npx in this case), the package to run (mongodb-mcp-server), and optional environment variables such as the MongoDB connection string or Atlas API credentials. The server can then be accessed to inspect databases, collections, documents, and perform safe, read-only queries. If you need write access, remove the --readOnly flag in the configuration.

Prerequisites:

• Node.js (recommended: v20.x or higher). Verify with: node -v
• Access to a MongoDB instance or Atlas API credentials if you plan to use Atlas features.

Step-by-step installation:

# 1) Ensure Node.js is installed
node -v

# 2) Create a configuration file for MCP (example: mcp_config.json) using the settings below

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "MongoDB": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "mongodb-mcp-server@latest", "--readOnly"],
      "env": {
        "MDB_MCP_CONNECTION_STRING": "mongodb://localhost:27017/myDatabase"
      }
    }
  }
}

# 3) Run the MCP server using the configuration. If your client expects a JSON config, pass it to the MCP launcher accordingly. An example (inline) usage with npx is:
npx -y mongodb-mcp-server@latest --readOnly

# 4) Alternatively, you can use a config file with a launcher that your MCP client supports ( Windsurf, Cursor, VSCode, etc. ) depending on your setup.

Notes:

• The README examples show using the MongoDB MCP Server via npx with a readOnly mode by default. You can adjust the args to enable write operations if needed by removing --readOnly and by supplying appropriate credentials.
• If you plan to connect to Atlas, supply MDB_MCP_API_CLIENT_ID and MDB_MCP_API_CLIENT_SECRET in env in addition to MDB_MCP_CONNECTION_STRING as needed.

Tips and common considerations:

• By default, the configuration uses --readOnly to ensure safe data access. Remove this flag only if your MCP client and security model require write operations.
• Store sensitive information (connection strings, API credentials) in environment variables rather than command line arguments to reduce exposure in process lists and logs.
• For Atlas API access, create a service account in MongoDB Atlas and use MDB_MCP_API_CLIENT_ID and MDB_MCP_API_CLIENT_SECRET for authentication.
• The exact invocation method may vary by MCP client (Windsurf, Cursor, VSCode, etc.). Adapt the launcher command to your client’s expected config format (e.g., a mcp.json file or environment-driven launcher).
• Ensure the Node.js version is compatible with mongodb-mcp-server and the MCP client tooling you use (Node 20.x+ is generally recommended).