The BigQuery MCP Server enables LLMs like Claude to interact with BigQuery data using natural language by translating plain English requests into read-only SQL. With this server, you can:
- Run read-only SQL queries using natural language
- Access tables and materialized views in datasets
- Explore dataset schemas with clear labeling of resource types
- Analyze data within a default 1GB query limit
- Maintain security with read-only access to your data
- Configure via Google Cloud CLI or service account authentication
The server is compatible with LLMs supporting the Model Context Protocol, currently limited to Claude Desktop.
Connects to Google Cloud's BigQuery service to access and query datasets, tables, and materialized views
BigQuery MCP Server
What is this? 🤔
This is a server that lets your LLMs (like Claude) talk directly to your BigQuery data! Think of it as a friendly translator that sits between your AI assistant and your database, making sure they can chat securely and efficiently.
Quick Example
No more writing SQL queries by hand - just chat naturally with your data!
How Does It Work? 🛠️
This server uses the Model Context Protocol (MCP), which is like a universal translator for AI-database communication. While MCP is designed to work with any AI model, right now it's available as a developer preview in Claude Desktop.
Here's all you need to do:
- Set up authentication (see below)
- Add your project details to Claude Desktop's config file
- Start chatting with your BigQuery data naturally!
What Can It Do? 📊
- Run SQL queries by just asking questions in plain English
- Access both tables and materialized views in your datasets
- Explore dataset schemas with clear labeling of resource types (tables vs views)
- Analyze data within safe limits (1GB query limit by default)
- Keep your data secure (read-only access)
Quick Start 🚀
Prerequisites
- Node.js 14 or higher
- Google Cloud project with BigQuery enabled
- Either Google Cloud CLI installed or a service account key file
- Claude Desktop (currently the only supported LLM interface)
Option 1: Quick Install via Smithery (Recommended)
To install BigQuery MCP Server for Claude Desktop automatically via Smithery, run this command in your terminal:
The installer will prompt you for:
- Your Google Cloud project ID
- BigQuery location (defaults to us-central1)
Once configured, Smithery will automatically update your Claude Desktop configuration and restart the application.
Option 2: Manual Setup
If you prefer manual configuration or need more control:
- Authenticate with Google Cloud (choose one method):
- Using Google Cloud CLI (great for development):
- Using a service account (recommended for production):
- Using Google Cloud CLI (great for development):
- Add to your Claude Desktop config
Add this to your
claude_desktop_config.json
:- Basic configuration:
- With service account:
- Basic configuration:
- Start chatting! Open Claude Desktop and start asking questions about your data.
Command Line Arguments
The server accepts the following arguments:
--project-id
: (Required) Your Google Cloud project ID--location
: (Optional) BigQuery location, defaults to 'us-central1'--key-file
: (Optional) Path to service account key JSON file
Example using service account:
Permissions Needed
You'll need one of these:
roles/bigquery.user
(recommended)- OR both:
roles/bigquery.dataViewer
roles/bigquery.jobUser
Developer Setup (Optional) 🔧
Want to customize or contribute? Here's how to set it up locally:
Then update your Claude Desktop config to point to your local build:
Current Limitations ⚠️
- MCP support is currently only available in Claude Desktop (developer preview)
- Connections are limited to local MCP servers running on the same machine
- Queries are read-only with a 1GB processing limit
- While both tables and views are supported, some complex view types might have limitations
Support & Resources 💬
License 📝
MIT License - See LICENSE file for details.
Author ✍️
Salih Ergüt
Sponsorship
This project is proudly sponsored by:
Version History 📋
See CHANGELOG.md for updates and version history.
This server cannot be installed
local-only server
The server can only run on the client's local machine because it depends on local resources.
Tools
This is a server that lets your LLMs (like Claude) talk directly to your BigQuery data! Think of it as a friendly translator that sits between your AI assistant and your database, making sure they can chat securely and efficiently.
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