Skip to main content
Glama
Sign In

imf-mcp-server

by io.github.cyanheads
OverviewDiscussionsAdmin

Imf List Databases

imf_list_databases
Read-onlyIdempotent

List IMF SDMX dataflows available on the portal. Entry point for every query: imf_get_database and imf_query_dataset both require a dataflow id obtained here. Vintage (historical snapshot) dataflows such as WEO_2025_OCT_VINTAGE are excluded by default; set include_vintages=true to include them. Results are paged — 50 per call by default and at most 200, adjustable with limit and offset — and total_count reports how many dataflows matched. Descriptions are shortened here; imf_get_database returns the full text for a single dataflow.

Input Schema

NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
limitNoMaximum dataflows to return in this call. Default 50; one call returns at most 200, so a larger limit (up to 1,000) returns 200 and echoes requested_limit and applied_limit. total_count reports how many matched, so a partial page is always recognizable as one.
filterNoOptional words to filter results by, split on spaces and commas. A dataflow matches when every word appears, case-insensitively, somewhere in its ID, name, or full description. Example: "exchange rate" returns ER and related dataflows; "WEO outlook" returns WEO and the regional outlooks built on it.
offsetNoNumber of matching dataflows to skip before this page. Combine with limit to page through a broad or unfiltered catalog.
include_vintagesNoInclude vintage (historical snapshot) dataflows such as WEO_2025_OCT_VINTAGE. Default false — vintages are excluded to keep the discovery surface clean.

Output Schema

NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
capNoThe limit that bounded this page.
errorNoPresent when the call failed. Absent on success.
shownNoDataflows returned in this page.
noticeNoPopulated when the filter matches nothing, or when matches remain beyond this page — explains why and names the next offset to request.
offsetNoNumber of matching dataflows skipped before this page.
dataflowsNoThis page of matching dataflows; pass the id to imf_get_database to resolve dimension codelists.
truncatedNoTrue when matching dataflows remain beyond this page.
total_countNoDataflows matching filter and include_vintages, before limit and offset are applied. Exceeds returned_count when more pages remain.
applied_limitNoThe limit this page was cut to — the per-call maximum of 200 — echoed beside requested_limit.
returned_countNoDataflows in this page — the length of dataflows.
requested_limitNoThe limit requested, echoed only when it exceeded the per-call maximum of 200.

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

  1. Changed4 schema fields changed
    • changedInput schema / properties / limit / description
      Previous value: -"Maximum dataflows to return in this call. Default 50, ceiling 200; total_count reports how many matched, so a partial page is always recognizable as one."New value: +"Maximum dataflows to return in this call. Default 50; one call returns at most 200, so a larger limit (up to 1,000) returns 200 and echoes requested_limit and applied_limit. total_count reports how many matched, so a partial page is always recognizable as one."
    • changedInput schema / properties / limit / maximum
      Previous value: -200New value: +1000
    • addedOutput schema / properties / applied_limit
      Added value: +{
+  "description": "The limit this page was cut to — the per-call maximum of 200 — echoed beside requested_limit.",
+  "type": "number"
+}
    • addedOutput schema / properties / requested_limit
      Added value: +{
+  "description": "The limit requested, echoed only when it exceeded the per-call maximum of 200.",
+  "type": "number"
+}
  2. Changed1 schema field changed
    • changedInput schema / properties / filter / description
      Previous value: -"Optional name, ID, or description substring to filter results. Case-insensitive. Example: \"exchange rate\" returns ER and related dataflows."New value: +"Optional words to filter results by, split on spaces and commas. A dataflow matches when every word appears, case-insensitively, somewhere in its ID, name, or full description. Example: \"exchange rate\" returns ER and related dataflows; \"WEO outlook\" returns WEO and the regional outlooks built on it."
  3. Changed1 schema field changed
    • changedOutput schema / properties / error / properties / data / properties / reason / description
      Previous value: -"Machine-readable failure mode. Declared by this tool: `dataflow_list_unavailable`: The IMF SDMX structure endpoint that backs the dataflow catalog did not return a usable response Other values are possible when a failure originates below the handler."New value: +"Machine-readable failure mode. Declared by this tool: `dataflow_list_unavailable`: The IMF SDMX structure endpoint that backs the dataflow catalog did not return a usable response. Other values are possible when a failure originates below the handler."
  4. Changed1 schema field changed
    • addedInput schema / properties / filter / minLength
      Added value: +1
  5. Changed6 schema fields changed
    • changedInput schema / $schema
      Previous value: -"http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#"New value: +"https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema"
    • addedInput schema / additionalProperties
      Added value: +false
    • changedOutput schema / $schema
      Previous value: -"http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#"New value: +"https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema"
    • addedOutput schema / anyOf
      Added value: +[
+  {
+    "not": {
+      "required": [
+        "error"
+      ]
+    },
+    "required": [
+      "dataflows",
+      "total_count",
+      "returned_count",
+      "offset"
+    ]
+  },
+  {
+    "required": [
+      "error"
+    ]
+  }
+]
    • addedOutput schema / properties / error
      Added value: +{
+  "additionalProperties": {},
+  "description": "Present when the call failed. Absent on success.",
+  "properties": {
+    "code": {
+      "description": "JSON-RPC error code for this failure.",
+      "maximum": 9007199254740991,
+      "minimum": -9007199254740991,
+      "type": "integer"
+    },
+    "data": {
+      "additionalProperties": {},
+      "properties": {
+        "reason": {
+          "description": "Machine-readable failure mode. Declared by this tool: `dataflow_list_unavailable`: The IMF SDMX structure endpoint that backs the dataflow catalog did not return a usable response Other values are possible when a failure originates below the handler.",
+          "examples": [
+            "dataflow_list_unavailable"
+          ],
+          "type": "string"
+        },
+        "recovery": {
+          "additionalProperties": {},
+          "description": "Actionable next step for the caller.",
+          "properties": {
+            "hint": {
+              "type": "string"
+            }
+          },
+          "required": [
+            "hint"
+          ],
+          "type": "object"
+        },
+        "retryable": {
+          "description": "Whether retrying may succeed.",
+          "type": "boolean"
+        }
+      },
+      "type": "object"
+    },
+    "message": {
+      "description": "Human-readable description of what went wrong.",
+      "type": "string"
+    }
+  },
+  "required": [
+    "code",
+    "message"
+  ],
+  "type": "object"
+}
    • removedOutput schema / required
      Removed value: -[
-  "dataflows",
-  "total_count",
-  "returned_count",
-  "offset"
-]
  6. Changed12 schema fields changed
    • addedInput schema / properties / limit
      Added value: +{
+  "default": 50,
+  "description": "Maximum dataflows to return in this call. Default 50, ceiling 200; total_count reports how many matched, so a partial page is always recognizable as one.",
+  "maximum": 200,
+  "minimum": 1,
+  "type": "integer"
+}
    • addedInput schema / properties / offset
      Added value: +{
+  "default": 0,
+  "description": "Number of matching dataflows to skip before this page. Combine with limit to page through a broad or unfiltered catalog.",
+  "maximum": 9007199254740991,
+  "minimum": 0,
+  "type": "integer"
+}
    • addedOutput schema / properties / cap
      Added value: +{
+  "description": "The limit that bounded this page.",
+  "type": "number"
+}
    • changedOutput schema / properties / dataflows / description
      Previous value: -"Matching dataflows; pass the id to imf_get_database to resolve dimension codelists."New value: +"This page of matching dataflows; pass the id to imf_get_database to resolve dimension codelists."
    • changedOutput schema / properties / dataflows / items / properties / description / description
      Previous value: -"Extended description of the dataflow, if available."New value: +"Short description, cut to 200 characters and ended with … when longer. imf_get_database and the imf://database/{dataflow_id} resource return the full text."
    • changedOutput schema / properties / notice / description
      Previous value: -"Populated when the filter matches nothing — explains why and suggests next steps."New value: +"Populated when the filter matches nothing, or when matches remain beyond this page — explains why and names the next offset to request."
    • addedOutput schema / properties / offset
      Added value: +{
+  "description": "Number of matching dataflows skipped before this page.",
+  "type": "number"
+}
    • addedOutput schema / properties / returned_count
      Added value: +{
+  "description": "Dataflows in this page — the length of dataflows.",
+  "type": "number"
+}
    • addedOutput schema / properties / shown
      Added value: +{
+  "description": "Dataflows returned in this page.",
+  "type": "number"
+}
    • changedOutput schema / properties / total_count / description
      Previous value: -"Total number of matching dataflows returned."New value: +"Dataflows matching filter and include_vintages, before limit and offset are applied. Exceeds returned_count when more pages remain."
    • addedOutput schema / properties / truncated
      Added value: +{
+  "description": "True when matching dataflows remain beyond this page.",
+  "type": "boolean"
+}
    • changedOutput schema / required
      Previous value: -[
-  "dataflows",
-  "total_count"
-]New value: +[
+  "dataflows",
+  "total_count",
+  "returned_count",
+  "offset"
+]
  7. Changed1 schema field changed
    • changedInput schema / properties / filter / description
      Previous value: -"Optional name or ID substring to filter results. Case-insensitive. Example: \"exchange rate\" returns ER and related dataflows."New value: +"Optional name, ID, or description substring to filter results. Case-insensitive. Example: \"exchange rate\" returns ER and related dataflows."
  8. First observed

TDQS

A4.7/5.0
Behavior5/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Annotations already cover read-only, idempotent, and open-world behavior, but the description adds substantial context: paging defaults and limits, total_count reporting, default vintage exclusion, and shortened descriptions. This goes well beyond what the annotations provide.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness5/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

Five tight sentences, front-loaded with purpose and dependency, then paging and vintage behavior. Every sentence earns its place, and there is no redundancy.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness5/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

With an output schema, rich annotations, and full schema descriptions, the description supplies everything else an agent needs: prerequisite relationship to siblings, paging behavior, vintage default, and where to get full descriptions.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters3/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is 100%, so all four parameters are already documented thoroughly. The description reiterates limit, offset, and include_vintages behavior but adds no new syntax or meaning beyond the schema, so the baseline 3 applies.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

States a specific verb ('List') and resource ('IMF SDMX dataflows'), and differentiates from siblings by naming imf_get_database and imf_query_dataset as consumers of a dataflow id obtained here. An agent can immediately tell this is the discovery entry point.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines5/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

Explicitly says it is the entry point for every query and that imf_get_database and imf_query_dataset both require an id obtained here. It also routes to imf_get_database for full descriptions, giving a clear alternative and when to use it.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

All imf-mcp-server toolsInspect
Try in Browser
One endpoint for every MCP toolRayrun runs every MCP server behind one URL and holds the credentials. Each call is decided per client, tool, and argument, then recorded.ray.runAd

Glama MCP Gateway

Add one secure layer between your agents and this server.

Resources