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CouchDB MCP Server

README.md
# couchdb-mcp-server
[![smithery badge](https://smithery.ai/badge/@robertoamoreno/couchdb-mcp-server)](https://smithery.ai/server/@robertoamoreno/couchdb-mcp-server)

A Model Context Protocol server for interacting with CouchDB

This is a TypeScript-based MCP server that provides tools for managing CouchDB databases and documents. It enables AI assistants to interact with CouchDB through a simple interface.

## Features

### Tools

#### Base Tools (All CouchDB Versions)
- `createDatabase` - Create a new CouchDB database
  - Takes `dbName` as a required parameter
  - Creates the database if it doesn't exist
  
- `listDatabases` - List all CouchDB databases
  - Returns an array of database names
  
- `deleteDatabase` - Delete a CouchDB database
  - Takes `dbName` as a required parameter
  - Removes the specified database and all its documents
  
- `createDocument` - Create a new document or update an existing document in a database
  - Required parameters:
    - `dbName`: Database name
    - `docId`: Document ID
    - `data`: Document data (JSON object)
      - For updates, include `_rev` field with the current document revision
  - Returns:
    - For new documents: document ID and new revision
    - For updates: document ID and updated revision
  - Automatically detects if operation is create or update based on presence of `_rev` field
  
- `getDocument` - Get a document from a database
  - Required parameters:
    - `dbName`: Database name
    - `docId`: Document ID
  - Returns the document content

#### Mango Query Tools (CouchDB 3.x+ Only)
- `createMangoIndex` - Create a new Mango index
  - Required parameters:
    - `dbName`: Database name
    - `indexName`: Name of the index
    - `fields`: Array of field names to index
  - Creates a new index for efficient querying

- `deleteMangoIndex` - Delete a Mango index
  - Required parameters:
    - `dbName`: Database name
    - `designDoc`: Design document name
    - `indexName`: Name of the index
  - Removes an existing Mango index

- `listMangoIndexes` - List all Mango indexes in a database
  - Required parameters:
    - `dbName`: Database name
  - Returns information about all indexes in the database

- `findDocuments` - Query documents using Mango query
  - Required parameters:
    - `dbName`: Database name
    - `query`: Mango query object
  - Performs a query using CouchDB's Mango query syntax

## Version Support

The server automatically detects the CouchDB version and enables features accordingly:
- All versions: Basic database and document operations
- CouchDB 3.x+: Mango query support (indexes and queries)

## Configuration

The server requires a CouchDB connection URL and version. These can be provided through environment variables:

```bash
COUCHDB_URL=http://username:password@localhost:5984
COUCHDB_VERSION=1.7.2

You can create a `.env` file in the project root with this configuration. If not provided, it defaults to `http://localhost:5984`.

## Development

Install dependencies:
```bash
npm install
```

Build the server:
```bash
npm run build
```

For development with auto-rebuild:
```bash
npm run watch
```

## Installation

### Installing via Smithery

To install couchdb-mcp-server for Claude Desktop automatically via [Smithery](https://smithery.ai/server/@robertoamoreno/couchdb-mcp-server):

```bash
npx -y @smithery/cli install @robertoamoreno/couchdb-mcp-server --client claude
```

To use with Claude Desktop, add the server config:

On MacOS: `~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json`  
On Windows: `%APPDATA%/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json`

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "couchdb-mcp-server": {
      "command": "/path/to/couchdb-mcp-server/build/index.js",
      "env": {
        "COUCHDB_URL": "http://username:password@localhost:5984"
      }
    }
  }
}
```

### Prerequisites

- Node.js 14 or higher
- Running CouchDB instance
- Proper CouchDB credentials if authentication is enabled

### Debugging

Since MCP servers communicate over stdio, debugging can be challenging. We recommend using the [MCP Inspector](https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/inspector), which is available as a package script:

```bash
npm run inspector
```

The Inspector will provide a URL to access debugging tools in your browser.

## Error Handling

The server includes robust error handling for common scenarios:
- Invalid database names or document IDs
- Database already exists/doesn't exist
- Connection issues
- Authentication failures
- Invalid document data

All errors are properly formatted and returned through the MCP protocol with appropriate error codes and messages.

TDQS

A3.5/5.0

Scored across 5 tools

Disambiguation5/5

Each tool has a distinct purpose targeting specific resources and actions: createDatabase, deleteDatabase, and listDatabases handle database-level operations, while createDocument and getDocument handle document-level operations. There is no overlap or ambiguity between tools.

Naming Consistency5/5

All tool names follow a consistent verb_noun pattern (e.g., createDatabase, getDocument) using camelCase throughout. The naming is predictable and uniform across all five tools.

Tool Count5/5

With 5 tools, this server is well-scoped for basic CouchDB operations, covering database and document management without being overly sparse or bloated. Each tool serves a clear and necessary function.

Completeness4/5

The toolset covers core CRUD operations for databases (create, delete, list) and documents (create, get), but lacks document deletion and update tools, which are common in database workflows. This minor gap might require workarounds but does not severely hinder functionality.

Maintenance

ActivityInactive
ResponsivenessNo issues