socrata-mcp-server

Find Socrata Datasets

socrata_find_datasets

Read-onlyIdempotent

Search for datasets across all Socrata-powered government open-data portals, or scope to one portal with the domain parameter. Returns dataset IDs, names, domains, update timestamps, and column_names — the API field names SoQL takes, not display labels. Use socrata_get_dataset to fetch the typed column schema before writing queries — column_names carry no type information.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description
`only`	No	Filter by asset type. Omit to include all types. Usually "datasets" is what you want.
`tags`	No	Filter by tags (e.g. ["covid19", "permits"]).
`limit`	No	Number of results to return (1–100). Default 10.
`order`	No	Sort order. Defaults to relevance. Use updated_at to surface recently-refreshed datasets.
`query`	No	Full-text search across dataset names and descriptions. Omit to browse without filtering.
`domain`	No	Scope search to a single portal by bare hostname (e.g. data.seattle.gov, data.cityofnewyork.us); URL forms like https://data.seattle.gov/ are accepted and reduced to the host. Omit to search all portals.
`offset`	No	Pagination offset. Default 0.
`categories`	No	Filter by domain categories (e.g. ["Public Safety", "Transportation"]).

Output Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description
`error`	No	Present when the call failed. Absent on success.
`notice`	No	Recovery hint when results are empty — echoes filters and suggests how to broaden. Absent on non-empty result pages.
`results`	No	Matching datasets. Empty when no results.
`totalCount`	No	Total matches before pagination. 0 when empty.
`effectiveQuery`	No	Search query applied, for reference.

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Changed4 schema fields changedSep 22, 2026

changedInput schema / properties / domain / description

Previous value: -"Scope search to a single portal (e.g. data.seattle.gov, data.cityofnewyork.us). Omit to search all portals."New value: +"Scope search to a single portal by bare hostname (e.g. data.seattle.gov, data.cityofnewyork.us); URL forms like https://data.seattle.gov/ are accepted and reduced to the host. Omit to search all portals."

changedOutput schema / properties / error / properties / data / properties / reason / description

Previous value: -"Machine-readable failure mode. Declared by this tool: `rate_limited`: Discovery API returned 429. Other values are possible when a failure originates below the handler."New value: +"Machine-readable failure mode. Declared by this tool: `rate_limited`: Discovery API returned 429. `unknown_domain`: The Discovery catalog does not index the domain (\"Domain not found\"). `invalid_domain`: The domain is not a hostname, even after dropping a URL scheme, path, or query. Other values are possible when a failure originates below the handler."

changedOutput schema / properties / error / properties / data / properties / reason / examples

Previous value: -[
-  "rate_limited"
-]New value: +[
+  "rate_limited",
+  "unknown_domain",
+  "invalid_domain"
+]

changedOutput schema / properties / results / items / properties / column_names / description

Previous value: -"Preview column name list (no type info). Call socrata_get_dataset for typed schema."New value: +"API field names — the identifiers SoQL takes in select/where/group/order (e.g. cuisine_description), not display labels. Computed-region system columns are dropped; empty when the catalog lists no field names. No type info — call socrata_get_dataset for the typed schema."

Changed6 schema fields changedAug 22, 2026

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": [
+      "results",
+      "totalCount"
+    ]
+  },
+  {
+    "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: `rate_limited`: Discovery API returned 429. Other values are possible when a failure originates below the handler.",
+          "examples": [
+            "rate_limited"
+          ],
+          "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: -[
-  "results",
-  "totalCount"
-]

Changed7 schema fields changedMay 30, 2026

addedOutput schema / properties / effectiveQuery

Added value: +{
+  "description": "Search query applied, for reference.",
+  "type": "string"
+}

removedOutput schema / properties / message

Removed value: -{
-  "description": "Recovery hint when results are empty — echoes filters and suggests how to broaden. Absent on non-empty result pages.",
-  "type": "string"
-}

addedOutput schema / properties / notice

Added value: +{
+  "description": "Recovery hint when results are empty — echoes filters and suggests how to broaden. Absent on non-empty result pages.",
+  "type": "string"
+}

removedOutput schema / properties / query

Removed value: -{
-  "description": "Search query applied, for reference.",
-  "type": "string"
-}

addedOutput schema / properties / totalCount

Added value: +{
+  "description": "Total matches before pagination. 0 when empty.",
+  "type": "number"
+}

removedOutput schema / properties / total_count

Removed value: -{
-  "description": "Total matches before pagination. 0 when empty.",
-  "type": "number"
-}

changedOutput schema / required

Previous value: -[
-  "results",
-  "total_count"
-]New value: +[
+  "results",
+  "totalCount"
+]

First observedMay 25, 2026

TDQS

A4.3/5.0

Behavior4/5

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

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint, openWorldHint, and idempotentHint, which cover the safety profile. The description adds valuable behavior beyond annotations: returned column_names are API field names, not display labels, and they carry no type information. This prevents misuse when constructing SoQL queries.

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?

The description is three sentences with no filler. It front-loads the main action, then delivers the key output caveat and a pointer to the next tool, while leaving schema details to the schema itself.

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?

For a search tool with rich schema coverage and safety annotations, the description covers the essential context: what is searched, how to scope, what is returned, the important nuance about field-name semantics, and the follow-up tool to use for typed schemas. Nothing critical is missing for correct invocation.

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?

The input schema covers 100% of the 8 parameters with descriptions, defaults, and enums, so the schema does the heavy lifting. The description adds marginal semantic value by reinforcing the domain scoping behavior and the meaning of column_names, but does not substantially extend parameter understanding beyond the schema.

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?

The description names a specific verb ('Search'), a specific resource ('datasets across all Socrata-powered government open-data portals'), and explicitly distinguishes scoped vs. global search via the domain parameter. It also differentiates itself from sibling socrata_get_dataset by noting that this tool returns search results, not typed schemas.

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

Usage Guidelines4/5

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

The description clearly states when to use this tool ('Search for datasets across all... portals') and explicitly directs the agent to use socrata_get_dataset when typed column schema is needed before writing queries. It does not enumerate exclusions against every sibling tool, but the context and alternative are clear enough for correct routing.

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

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