# ERDDAP MCP Servers - Local & Remote
Access oceanographic and environmental data from ERDDAP servers worldwide through Claude Desktop via **two complete MCP implementations**: local stdio and remote HTTP.
**🚀 Now with dynamic server loading from `erddaps.json` - 63+ ERDDAP servers available!**
## 🌊 Two Servers, All Possibilities
This repository provides **both local and remote MCP server implementations**:
### 📍 Local MCP Server (`erddapy_mcp_server.py`)
- **Traditional stdio-based MCP server** for local Claude Desktop use
- **4 comprehensive ERDDAP tools** for data discovery and access
- **Easy setup** via claude_desktop_config.json
- **No network dependencies** - runs completely locally
### ☁️ Remote MCP Server (`erddap_remote_mcp_oauth.py`)
- **HTTP-based MCP server** for cloud deployment
- **Production-ready** with fly.io deployment configuration
- **mcp-remote proxy compatible** for Claude Desktop integration
- **Same 4 core tools** optimized for remote performance
## 🚨 CRITICAL: Remote MCP Connection Requirements
**Claude Desktop does NOT support direct remote MCP connections!** You MUST use the `mcp-remote` proxy for remote servers.
### The Secret Architecture:
```
Claude Desktop (stdio) ↔ mcp-remote proxy ↔ Remote MCP Server (HTTP)
```
## What is ERDDAP?
ERDDAP (Environmental Research Division's Data Access Program) is a data server that provides simple, consistent access to scientific datasets in common file formats. These MCP servers make ERDDAP's powerful oceanographic data accessible to AI assistants through natural language queries.
## Quick Start
### ⚠️ IMPORTANT: Disable VPN Before Use
**ERDDAP servers may experience severe issues when accessed through
VPNs** (NordVPN, ExpressVPN, etc.), including:
- **404 errors** on valid datasets
- **Truncated or incomplete data** downloads
- **Connection timeouts** and failed requests
**Solution:** Disable your VPN before using these tools. ERDDAP servers
often block or rate-limit VPN traffic, causing unreliable behavior.
### Option 1: Local MCP Server (Recommended for Getting Started)
**1. Install Dependencies:**
```bash
pip install erddapy mcp pandas
```
**2. Configure Claude Desktop:**
Add to your Claude Desktop config (`~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json`):
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"erddap-local": {
"command": "python",
"args": ["/path/to/erddapy_mcp_server.py"]
}
}
}
```
**Windows Users:** Use `%APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json` and double backslashes in paths:
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"erddap-local": {
"command": "python",
"args": ["C:\\Users\\YourName\\path\\to\\erddapy_mcp_server.py"]
}
}
}
```
**3. Restart Claude Desktop:**
After updating the configuration, restart Claude Desktop. The server will start automatically and the ERDDAP tools will be available.
### Option 2: Remote MCP Server (Access the Cloud Instance)
**1. Install mcp-remote proxy:**
```bash
npm install -g mcp-remote
```
**2. Configure Claude Desktop:**
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"erddap-remote": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["mcp-remote", "https://erddap2mcp.fly.dev/"]
}
}
}
```
**3. Restart Claude Desktop:**
The remote server will be accessible through the mcp-remote proxy.
## Available Tools
### Available Tools (Both Servers)
| Tool | Description | Example Use |
|------|-------------|-------------|
| `list_servers` | Show well-known ERDDAP servers worldwide | "Show me available ERDDAP servers" |
| `search_datasets` | Search for datasets by keyword | "Find temperature datasets on IOOS ERDDAP" |
| `get_dataset_info` | Get detailed metadata about a dataset | "Tell me about dataset jplMURSST41" |
| `to_pandas` | Download and preview data | "Show me temperature data from January 2024" |
## Usage Examples
### List Available ERDDAP Servers
**You:** "Show me available ERDDAP servers"
**Claude:** Here are some well-known ERDDAP servers you can access:
- **NOAA CoastWatch** (https://coastwatch.pfeg.noaa.gov/erddap) - Satellite and in-situ oceanographic data
- **IOOS ERDDAP** (https://erddap.ioos.us/erddap) - Integrated Ocean Observing System data
- **Marine Institute Ireland** (https://erddap.marine.ie/erddap) - Irish marine data
- **Ocean Networks Canada** (https://data.oceannetworks.ca/erddap) - Canadian ocean data
- **GCOOS ERDDAP** (https://gcoos5.geos.tamu.edu/erddap) - Gulf of Mexico data
### Search for Datasets
**You:** "Search for glider datasets on GCOOS ERDDAP"
**Claude:** I found 26 glider datasets on the GCOOS ERDDAP server. Here are some examples:
- **Stommel-20200813T1200**: Ocean glider deployment
- **usf-sam-20210331T0000**: University of South Florida glider
- **mote-dora-20210318T1200**: Mote Marine Laboratory glider
These datasets contain oceanographic measurements collected by autonomous underwater gliders.
### Analyze Data
**You:** "Get information about the dataset mote-dora-20210318T1200"
**Claude:** This dataset contains oceanographic measurements from a Mote Marine Laboratory glider deployment:
**Time Coverage**: March 18, 2021 - April 15, 2021
**Variables**: Temperature, salinity, density, dissolved oxygen, chlorophyll
**Location**: Eastern Gulf of Mexico coastal waters
## Architecture Comparison
### Local Server
- **Communication**: stdio (standard input/output)
- **Deployment**: Runs on your local machine
- **Tools**: 4 comprehensive data access tools
- **Setup**: Single config file entry
- **Dependencies**: Python + MCP library
### Remote Server
- **Communication**: HTTP with JSON-RPC 2.0
- **Deployment**: Cloud platforms (fly.io, AWS, etc.)
- **Tools**: Same 4 data access tools
- **Setup**: Requires mcp-remote proxy
- **Dependencies**: FastAPI + Docker + HTTPS
## For Developers: Cloud Deployment
*This section is for developers who want to deploy their own instance of the remote server.*
### fly.io Deployment (Recommended)
The remote server is configured for one-command deployment to fly.io:
```bash
# Deploy from the erddap2mcp directory
fly deploy
```
**fly.toml Configuration:**
```toml
app = 'erddap2mcp'
primary_region = 'mia'
[http_service]
internal_port = 8000
force_https = true
auto_stop_machines = 'stop'
auto_start_machines = true
[[vm]]
memory = '1gb'
cpu_kind = 'shared'
cpus = 1
```
**Key Features:**
- ✅ **Automatic HTTPS** - SSL certificates managed automatically
- ✅ **Auto-scaling** - Machines start/stop based on traffic
- ✅ **Global CDN** - Fast access worldwide
- ✅ **Zero-downtime deploys** - Seamless updates
### Container Deployment (Other Platforms)
```bash
# Build container
docker build -t erddap-mcp-server .
# Run locally
docker run -p 8000:8000 erddap-mcp-server
# Deploy to other platforms:
# - AWS Lambda (requires HTTPS setup)
# - Railway/Render (usually provide HTTPS automatically)
# - Google Cloud Run
# - Azure Container Instances
```
## Testing Your Setup
### For Users: Verify Installation
After configuring Claude Desktop, restart it and check if the ERDDAP tools appear in the tools list.
### For Developers: Manual Testing
#### Test Local Server
```bash
# Test the server directly (for debugging)
python erddapy_mcp_server.py
# Send test commands:
echo '{"jsonrpc": "2.0", "method": "tools/list", "id": 1}' | python erddapy_mcp_server.py
```
#### Test Remote Server
```bash
# Test basic connectivity
curl http://localhost:8000/
# Test MCP protocol
curl -X POST http://localhost:8000/ \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"jsonrpc": "2.0", "method": "tools/list", "id": 1}'
# Test with mcp-remote proxy
npx mcp-remote http://localhost:8000/ --test
```
## Configuration Examples
### Both Servers Together
You can run both local and remote servers simultaneously:
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"erddap-local": {
"command": "python",
"args": ["/Users/rdc/src/mcp/erddap2mcp/erddapy_mcp_server.py"]
},
"erddap-remote": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["mcp-remote", "https://erddap2mcp.fly.dev/"]
}
}
}
```
This gives you the full local toolset plus cloud accessibility!
## Common Tool Parameters
Both servers accept these parameters:
- `server_url`: ERDDAP server URL (defaults to NOAA CoastWatch)
- `protocol`: Either "tabledap" (tabular data) or "griddap" (gridded data)
- `dataset_id`: The dataset identifier
- `variables`: List of variables to retrieve
- `constraints`: Dictionary of constraints (e.g., time/space bounds)
## Tips for Best Results
1. **Start with local**: Local server has easier setup and no proxy requirement
2. **Use remote for sharing**: Remote server can be accessed by multiple users
3. **Check metadata first**: Use `get_dataset_info` before downloading data
4. **Use constraints**: Limit data requests to avoid timeouts
5. **Choose correct protocol**: tabledap for tabular, griddap for gridded data
## Troubleshooting
### Local Server Issues
- **"No such file"**: Check Python path in configuration
- **"Connection failed"**: Verify server is running
- **Tool errors**: Check stderr for debug output
### Remote Server Issues
- **"No tools available"**: Ensure mcp-remote proxy is installed (`npm install -g mcp-remote`)
- **"Connection failed"**: Verify server URL is accessible and uses HTTPS
- **Protocol errors**: Check server logs with `fly logs -a erddap2mcp`
### General ERDDAP Issues
- **Timeouts**: Reduce spatial/temporal extent of requests
- **Protocol errors**: Specify correct protocol (tabledap vs griddap)
- **Server unavailable**: Some ERDDAP servers may be temporarily down
## The Remote MCP Discovery Journey
This remote implementation represents months of debugging the Remote MCP mystery:
### Failed Approaches:
1. **Direct SSE connections** - Claude Desktop doesn't support this
2. **Config file remote URLs** - Only works for local stdio servers
3. **Connector UI attempts** - Also doesn't support direct connections
### The Breakthrough:
The `mcp-remote` proxy requirement was buried in third-party documentation. This critical piece enables Claude Desktop to talk to remote MCP servers via HTTP.
## Credits
- **ERDDAP** was developed by Bob Simons at NOAA's Environmental Research Division. Learn more at the [ERDDAP website](https://coastwatch.pfeg.noaa.gov/erddap/information.html).
- **erddapy** is the official Python client for ERDDAP, developed by [Filipe Fernandes](https://github.com/ocefpaf) and the IOOS community. Visit the [erddapy documentation](https://ioos.github.io/erddapy/).
- **mcp-remote** proxy enables remote MCP connections to Claude Desktop
## Common Use Cases
- **Climate Research**: Access historical temperature, salinity, and current data
- **Marine Biology**: Find chlorophyll concentrations and ocean color data
- **Coastal Management**: Monitor sea level, wave heights, and coastal conditions
- **Fisheries**: Access environmental data for fisheries management
- **Education**: Explore real oceanographic data for teaching and learning
## Server List Management
**ERDDAP servers are now loaded dynamically from `erddaps.json`:**
- 63 ERDDAP servers pre-configured (worldwide coverage)
- Easy to add/remove servers by editing JSON file
- Automatic fallback if file is missing
- Servers grouped by public/private access
- Each server entry includes name, short_name, url, and public flag
To add new servers, simply edit `erddaps.json`:
```json
{
"name": "Your ERDDAP Server",
"short_name": "YES",
"url": "https://your-erddap.org/erddap/",
"public": true
}
```
## Contributing
Contributions welcome! This project demonstrates how to build both local and remote MCP servers. Key areas for improvement:
- Additional ERDDAP tools and data processing capabilities
- Enhanced error handling and performance optimization
- Multi-server load balancing and caching strategies
- Adding more ERDDAP servers to erddaps.json
## License
This project is open source and available under the MIT License.
