Talk with Your Database Using MCP

This guide explains how to set up and run your MCP server to interact with your PostgreSQL database using Claude Desktop. It should also work with MySQL, MariaDB, SQLite as it uses sqlalchemy under the hood. This project is build on top of https://github.com/runekaagaard/mcp-alchemy

Note: This guide assumes you have a basic understanding of Docker, environment variables, and CLI usage.

Prerequisites

• Docker Compose: Installation instructions

• Claude Desktop: Download here

• uv: A modern, high-performance Python package manager. If not installed, follow the instructions below.

Related MCP server: MCPDB - Database Access MCP Server

1. Set Up Environment Variables

1. Copy and Rename the Environment File
   Duplicate the provided .env.example file and rename it to .env:

   cp .env.example .env

2. Set Up Claude Desktop

1. Download and Install Claude Desktop
   Visit the Claude Desktop download page and install the application.

3. Launch the PostgreSQL Database with Dummy Data

1. Run Docker Compose
   Ensure Docker Compose is installed and run:

   docker-compose up -d

   • This command will launch a PostgreSQL database on localhost:5432 and populate it with dummy data.

4. Install uv (if not already installed)

1. Install
   Execute the following command to install uv:

   curl -LsSf https://astral.sh/uv/install.sh | sh

5. Configure and Launch the MCP Server

1. Create/Update the MCP Server Configuration
   Save the following JSON configuration in your MCP server config file (adjust paths if necessary):

   { "mcpServers": { "my_database": { "command": "uv", "args": [ "--directory", "/directory/where/this/app/is/located/app/", "run", "server.py" ], "env": { "DB_URL": "postgresql://postgres:password@localhost:5432/mydatabase" } } } }

   • Tip: If uv is installed in a non-standard location, update the "command" value to reflect the full path to the executable.

2. Launch the MCP Server
   With the configuration in place, the MCP server will automatically start each time Claude Desktop is launched.

6. Enjoy Your Setup

• Open Claude Desktop.

• The tool will automatically call your MCP server, enabling you to interact with your database seamlessly.

Summary

1. Set Up Environment Variables: Copy .env.example to .env.

2. Install and Run Claude Desktop: Download from Claude Desktop.

3. Launch PostgreSQL with Docker Compose: Run docker-compose up to start the database with dummy data.

4. Install : Run the provided installation command if necessary.

5. Configure MCP Server: Update the config file and ensure paths and environment variables are correct.

6. Launch and Enjoy: Start Claude Desktop to begin interacting with your database via MCP.

If you encounter any issues or need further assistance, please refer to the relevant documentation or contact your support team.

Happy coding!