--- title: "Apache SkyWalking MCP Server: review, setup & limitations · Undominated.ai" canonical: https://undominated.ai/mcp-servers/apache-skywalking-mcp/ description: "Queries a SkyWalking OAP you already run. The inspected install builds a local image; it does not pull a published one." --- # Apache SkyWalking MCP Server: review, setup & limitations · Undominated.ai > Queries a SkyWalking OAP you already run. The inspected install builds a local image; it does not pull a published one. [← Explore all mcp servers](/mcp-servers/) OBSERVABILITY / Apache Software Foundation # Apache SkyWalking MCP Server Queries a SkyWalking OAP you already run. The inspected install builds a local image; it does not pull a published one. [See setup guidance ↓](#setup)[Original source ↗](https://skywalking.apache.org/) SOURCE REVIEW Reviewed 2026-10-14 Evidence 3 linked sources Publisher Apache Software Foundation Licence [Apache-2.0 ↗](https://github.com/apache/skywalking-mcp/blob/ea491e1e0510d7fef2fac360ae80f38147e39baf/LICENSE) Revision ea491e1e0510 [Read what was—and wasn’t—checked ↓](#review) “server for integrating AI agents with Skywalking OAP and the surrounding ecosystem.” [Apache Software Foundation · upstream description ↗](https://github.com/apache/skywalking-mcp/blob/ea491e1e0510d7fef2fac360ae80f38147e39baf/README.md) Our analysis follows below. 01 / THE REASONING ## Why this made the selection. - The README lists concrete tools such as list_layers and list_services rather than a generic "observe the cluster" promise. - The Docker path is `make build-image` and then a local skywalking-mcp:latest. That is a build, not a registry pull. ### A good fit for - Follow a service topology edge into traces and correlated alarms before diagnosing latency. - Inspect MQE metric types before forming an expression against the target OAP. ### Weigh up before choosing - There is no published image in the inspected usage block. `make build-image` builds linux/amd64 locally. - The sample config contains a basic-auth password placeholder. Do not commit a real one. - HTTP allowed-origins is open by default; disabling localhost protection without restricting origins can allow browser-origin calls through a proxy. - --sw-insecure disables OAP TLS certificate verification and should not be used as a routine connection fix. 02 / THE REVIEW RECORD ## What we actually inspected. Source review has boundaries. A clear record is more useful than a “safe” badge. ### Material inspected - README.md - 2026-10-14 reread of retained pinned setup/configuration evidence for the specific operational details added in this batch. - Makefile ### Our findings - stdio example uses command "swmcp stdio" after a local build. - Docker example runs skywalking-mcp:latest only after make build-image. - README and Makefile agree on local architecture defaults and explicit ARM64 builds. The client example now separates executable and stdio argument rather than embedding both in command. ### Not established by this review - The image was not built. - No OAP query was made. - No authenticated session, installation, permission bypass or package-to-source parity test was performed. The review applies to the material and revision named here. A newer upstream release can change its behavior. 03 / PUT IT TO WORK ## Connect a server deliberately. [Upstream setup instructions ↗](https://github.com/apache/skywalking-mcp/blob/ea491e1e0510d7fef2fac360ae80f38147e39baf/README.md) DOCUMENTED COMMAND make build-image Copy command ↗ Copying does not execute this command. It may retrieve a newer version than the reviewed source. - Clone the reviewed SkyWalking MCP revision and enter its repository directory. - Install the build prerequisites from that revision and run make build-image. - Register the README Docker client block, with --sw-url changed to an OAP address reachable from inside the container. - Add --sw-username and --sw-password if the OAP requires basic auth, and review its authorization boundary before use. ### Before you start - Go or Docker - A SkyWalking OAP endpoint you are allowed to query ### Documented configuration example Use the client and authentication context described in the setup guidance. Configuration formats vary between hosts. { "mcpServers": { "skywalking": { "command": "docker", "args": [ "run", "--rm", "-i", "skywalking-mcp:latest", "--sw-url", "http://localhost:12800" ] } } } Copy configuration ↗ ### Compatibility Local stdio MCP clients · A running SkyWalking OAP ### Implementation Go ### Transports stdio ### Local process, your OAP - Query the configured SkyWalking OAP ### Cost model Apache-2.0. OAP hosting is yours. 04 / FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE ## The source trail. Our notes are separate from the original resource. Check upstream before adopting a new version. - [Server documentation ↗](https://github.com/apache/skywalking-mcp/blob/ea491e1e0510d7fef2fac360ae80f38147e39baf/README.md) Checked 2026-10-14 https://github.com/apache/skywalking-mcp/blob/ea491e1e0510d7fef2fac360ae80f38147e39baf/README.md Supports: Install command and stated tools, summary, install, configExample, access, limitations, bestFor, review, compatibility, transports, license - [Repository licence ↗](https://github.com/apache/skywalking-mcp/blob/ea491e1e0510d7fef2fac360ae80f38147e39baf/LICENSE) Checked 2026-10-07 https://github.com/apache/skywalking-mcp/blob/ea491e1e0510d7fef2fac360ae80f38147e39baf/LICENSE Supports: Redistribution terms - [Additional pinned setup or licence ↗](https://github.com/apache/skywalking-mcp/blob/ea491e1e0510d7fef2fac360ae80f38147e39baf/Makefile) Checked 2026-10-14 https://github.com/apache/skywalking-mcp/blob/ea491e1e0510d7fef2fac360ae80f38147e39baf/Makefile Supports: summary, install, configExample, access, limitations, bestFor, review, compatibility, transports, license KEEP COMPARING ## Other approaches to consider. Related by category or shared topics. These are alternatives to inspect, not a measured quality order. [### Jaeger Telemetry MCP Server ↗ In-tree Jaeger query service MCP server exposing OpenTelemetry distributed tracing queries over Streamable HTTP and SSE.](/mcp-servers/jaeger/)[### AWS Managed Prometheus MCP ↗ Pins the AWS Labs server for PromQL against Amazon Managed Prometheus, and records that the basic Kiro example omits the workspace URL.](/mcp-servers/awslabs-prometheus/)[### Axiom MCP ↗ Queries Axiom telemetry and manages observability resources through an account-authorized hosted connection.](/mcp-servers/axiom/) [AI Tools ↗](/tools/)[Skills ↗](/skills/)[Agents ↗](/agents/)[MCP Servers ↗](/mcp-servers/)[Workflows ↗](/workflows/) ## Continue your investigation - [Inspect resource evidence](/tools/) - [Choose a host](/agents/) - [Inspect reusable workflows](/skills/) - [Use Undominated data](/api/)