Supports PostgreSQL as a persistent storage backend for monitoring data and configuration.
Exposes database metrics, including ACL events and connection statistics, in Prometheus-compatible format for external monitoring and observability.
Provides comprehensive monitoring for Redis databases, including server health, slowlogs, client lists, memory statistics, and ACL logs.
Supports SQLite as a local storage backend for persisting monitoring data and settings when used via the CLI.
@betterdb/mcp
Give your AI assistant deep visibility into your Valkey and Redis databases. The BetterDB MCP server connects Claude Code, Cursor, Windsurf, and other MCP-compatible clients to the BetterDB monitoring platform — letting your AI query real-time metrics, diagnose slow commands, detect anomalies, and investigate incidents without leaving your editor.
Why BetterDB?
BetterDB is a monitoring and observability platform built for Valkey and Redis providing real-time dashboards, anomaly detection, and operational intelligence for your Valkey and Redis deployments. Unlike tools that only show a live snapshot, BetterDB persists historical metrics, slowlogs, and audit trails — so you can investigate what happened yesterday, not just what's happening now.
Key capabilities exposed through MCP:
Real-time health checks — memory fragmentation, hit rate, replication lag, connected clients
Slow command analysis — slowlog and COMMANDLOG (Valkey 8+) with pattern aggregation
Hot key detection — find cache-busting keys via LFU frequency scores or idle time analysis
Cluster-wide visibility — per-node stats, aggregated slowlogs, and slot-level metrics across all nodes
Anomaly detection — Z-score analysis on memory, CPU, hit rate, and other metrics (Pro)
Client activity tracking — connection counts, command distribution, and buffer usage over time
ACL audit log — investigate auth failures and access patterns
Latency event history — track latency trends for specific event types
Quick Start
1. Get a token
In BetterDB, go to Settings → MCP Tokens and generate a new token.
2. Configure your MCP client
Add to your MCP client config (e.g. Claude Code or OpenAI Codex):
{
"mcpServers": {
"betterdb": {
"type": "stdio",
"command": "npx",
"args": ["@betterdb/mcp"],
"env": {
"BETTERDB_URL": "https://<your-workspace>.app.betterdb.com",
"BETTERDB_TOKEN": "<your-token>"
}
}
}
}For local development with an existing monitor (token not required):
{
"mcpServers": {
"betterdb": {
"type": "stdio",
"command": "npx",
"args": ["@betterdb/mcp"],
"env": {
"BETTERDB_URL": "http://localhost:3001"
}
}
}
}For zero-config local development (auto-starts and manages a monitor process):
{
"mcpServers": {
"betterdb": {
"type": "stdio",
"command": "npx",
"args": ["@betterdb/mcp", "--autostart", "--persist"]
}
}
}3. Start asking questions
Once connected, your AI assistant can query your databases directly:
"What's the health of my production Valkey instance?"
"Show me the slowest commands from the last hour"
"Are there any hot keys causing uneven load?"
"Which cluster node has the highest memory usage?"
"Have there been any anomalies in the last 24 hours?"
Configuration
Environment Variables
Variable | Default | Description |
|
| BetterDB instance URL (port depends on your Docker config) |
| — | MCP token from Settings (required for cloud, optional for local) |
| — | Pre-select a specific instance (skips |
CLI Arguments
Argument | Default | Description |
| — | Spawn and manage a local BetterDB monitor process on startup |
| — | Keep the monitor running after the MCP server exits (requires |
|
| Port for the auto-started monitor API |
|
| Storage backend: |
| — | Stop a previously persisted monitor process and exit |
Available Tools
Instance Tools
Tool | Description |
| List all registered Valkey/Redis instances with connection status |
| Select which instance subsequent calls operate on |
| Synthetic health summary — the best starting point for any investigation |
| Full INFO stats, optionally filtered by section |
| Recent slow commands from the slowlog buffer |
| Recent COMMANDLOG entries (Valkey 8+) |
| Latency event history |
| Detailed history for a specific latency event |
| MEMORY DOCTOR assessment and MEMORY STATS breakdown |
| Active client list with connection details |
| Hot key tracking data from LFU or idle time analysis |
| Aggregated slowlog patterns with frequency and avg duration |
| Persisted COMMANDLOG entries with time range filtering |
| Aggregated COMMANDLOG patterns |
| Anomaly detection events (Pro) |
| Time-bucketed client activity from persisted snapshots |
| ACL audit log entries |
| Cluster node discovery — roles, health, slot ranges |
| Per-node performance stats across the cluster |
| Aggregated slowlog across all cluster nodes |
| Per-slot key counts and CPU usage (Valkey 8+) |
Connection Management Tools
Tool | Description |
| Add a new Valkey/Redis connection to BetterDB |
| Test connection credentials without persisting |
| Remove a connection from BetterDB |
| Set a connection as the active default |
Monitor Lifecycle Tools
Tool | Description |
| Start a persistent BetterDB monitor background process |
| Stop a previously started persistent monitor process |
Requirements
Node.js 20+
A running BetterDB instance (cloud or self-hosted), or use
--autostartto have the MCP server manage one automatically
Documentation
Full docs: docs.betterdb.com
License
See LICENSE for details.