# BigQuery MCP server
[](https://smithery.ai/server/mcp-server-bigquery)
A Model Context Protocol server that provides access to BigQuery. This server enables LLMs to inspect database schemas and execute queries.
## Components
### Tools
The server implements one tool:
- `execute-query`: Executes a SQL query using BigQuery dialect
- `list-tables`: Lists all tables in the BigQuery database
- `describe-table`: Describes the schema of a specific table
## Configuration
The server can be configured either with command line arguments or environment variables.
| Argument | Environment Variable | Required | Description |
| ------------ | -------------------- | -------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `--project` | `BIGQUERY_PROJECT` | Yes | The GCP project ID. |
| `--location` | `BIGQUERY_LOCATION` | Yes | The GCP location (e.g. `europe-west9`). |
| `--dataset` | `BIGQUERY_DATASETS` | No | Only take specific BigQuery datasets into consideration. Several datasets can be specified by repeating the argument (e.g. `--dataset my_dataset_1 --dataset my_dataset_2`) or by joining them with a comma in the environment variable (e.g. `BIGQUERY_DATASETS=my_dataset_1,my_dataset_2`). If not provided, all datasets in the project will be considered. |
| `--key-file` | `BIGQUERY_KEY_FILE` | No | Path to a service account key file for BigQuery. If not provided, the server will use the default credentials. |
| `--timeout` | `BIGQUERY_TIMEOUT` | No | Maximum time in seconds to wait for a query to complete. If not provided, queries will wait indefinitely. |
## Installation
### Installing via Smithery
To install BigQuery Server for Claude Desktop automatically via [Smithery](https://smithery.ai/server/mcp-server-bigquery):
```bash
npx -y @smithery/cli install mcp-server-bigquery --client claude
```
### Claude Code
```bash
claude mcp add bigquery --scope user --transport stdio -- uvx mcp-server-bigquery --project {PROJECT_ID} --location {{LOCATION}}
```
### Claude Desktop
On MacOS: `~/Library/Application\ Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json`
On Windows: `%APPDATA%/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json`
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"bigquery": {
"command": "uvx",
"args": ["mcp-server-bigquery"],
"env": {
"BIGQUERY_PROJECT": "{{GCP_PROJECT_ID}}",
"BIGQUERY_LOCATION": "{{GCP_LOCATION}}"
}
}
}
}
```
## Cursor
1. Open Cursor Settings → MCP
2. Click Add new global MCP server
3. Add an entry for the BigQuery MCP, following the pattern below:
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"bigquery": {
"command": "uvx",
"args": ["mcp-server-bigquery"],
"env": {
"BIGQUERY_PROJECT": "{{GCP_PROJECT_ID}}",
"BIGQUERY_LOCATION": "{{GCP_LOCATION}}"
}
}
}
}
```
