--- title: "CockroachDB MCP Server: review, setup & limitations · Undominated.ai" canonical: https://undominated.ai/mcp-servers/cockroachdb/ description: "Typed CockroachDB tools written in Go, registering read-only tools by default with write and DDL tools behind an explicit environment variable. Supports stdio and HTTP modes, cert-based authentication and a least-privilege SQL role recipe." --- # CockroachDB MCP Server: review, setup & limitations · Undominated.ai > Typed CockroachDB tools written in Go, registering read-only tools by default with write and DDL tools behind an explicit environment variable. Supports stdio and HTTP modes, cert-based authentication and a least-privilege SQL role recipe. [← Explore all mcp servers](/mcp-servers/) DATABASE DEVELOPMENT / Cockroach Labs # CockroachDB MCP Server Typed CockroachDB tools written in Go, registering read-only tools by default with write and DDL tools behind an explicit environment variable. Supports stdio and HTTP modes, cert-based authentication and a least-privilege SQL role recipe. [See setup guidance ↓](#setup)[Original source ↗](https://github.com/cockroachdb/cockroachdb-mcp-server) SOURCE REVIEW Reviewed 2026-10-07 Evidence 3 linked sources Publisher Cockroach Labs Licence [Apache-2.0 ↗](https://github.com/cockroachdb/cockroachdb-mcp-server/blob/2f06f189dde830952f8c5baf1bd09b6e28d17c86/LICENSE) Revision 2f06f189dde8 [Read what was—and wasn’t—checked ↓](#review) “CockroachDB MCP Server is a Model Context Protocol server that exposes CockroachDB to AI agents as a set of typed tools. Ships read tools by default; write and DDL tools opt in via env var.” [Cockroach Labs · upstream description ↗](https://github.com/cockroachdb/cockroachdb-mcp-server/blob/2f06f189dde830952f8c5baf1bd09b6e28d17c86/README.md) Our analysis follows below. 01 / THE REASONING ## Why this made the selection. - Cockroach Labs publishes the server in its own organisation with read-only tools registered by default, which is the safest default of the SQL servers screened this wave. - The security model is layered: password auth is rejected unless opted in, TLS modes below verify are refused at startup, and HTTP mode requires a bearer token with TLS by default. ### A good fit for - Letting an agent explore databases, tables, schemas and cluster metadata on a distributed SQL cluster without write access. - Operators who want to grant an agent narrowly-scoped write tools per SQL privilege rather than all-or-nothing. ### Weigh up before choosing - Write and DDL tools exist and are enabled together by one environment variable; per-operation control relies on the connecting role's SQL privileges. - Pre-built release binaries do not cover macOS because a CockroachDB parser dependency needs cgo there; macOS users build from source or use Docker. 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 at pinned revision 2f06f189dde830952f8c5baf1bd09b6e28d17c86: install paths (go install, release tarballs, distroless nonroot Docker image), stdio and HTTP client configuration, authentication and TLS rules, default read-only tool table and CRDB_MCP_ENABLE_WRITE_QUERIES opt-in. - go.mod at the same revision: module github.com/cockroachdb/cockroachdb-mcp-server, Go 1.26, cockroachdb-parser and pgx v5 dependencies. - LICENSE at the same revision: Apache License 2.0. - Repository root at the same revision: main.go entrypoint plus auth, config, db, middleware and otel packages. ### Our findings - Default registered tools are read-only: list_databases, list_tables, get_table_schema, get_cluster, list_sql_users and list_cluster_nodes. - HTTP mode enforces a bearer token (CRDB_MCP_BEARER_TOKEN) with TLS by default; cleartext HTTP and TLS-optional database modes each require a separate opt-in variable. ### Not established by this review - The server was not built or connected to a cluster; tool execution was not tested. 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/cockroachdb/cockroachdb-mcp-server) DOCUMENTED COMMAND go install github.com/cockroachdb/cockroachdb-mcp-server@latest Copy command ↗ Copying does not execute this command. It may retrieve a newer version than the reviewed source. - Install the binary with Go 1.26+, from release tarballs, or via the published Docker image. - Configure the client with cert-based connection variables or a full CRDB_DATABASE_URL with sslmode verify-full. - Grant the connecting SQL role only the privileges the registered tools need before enabling write tools. ### Before you start - Go 1.26+ or a release binary for linux or windows. - A reachable CockroachDB cluster with client certificates. ### Documented configuration example Use the client and authentication context described in the setup guidance. Configuration formats vary between hosts. { "mcpServers": { "cockroachdb": { "command": "cockroachdb-mcp-server", "env": { "CRDB_HOST": "YOUR_CRDB_HOST", "CRDB_USERNAME": "YOUR_CRDB_USERNAME", "CRDB_SSL_MODE": "verify-full", "CRDB_SSL_CA_PATH": "/certs/ca.crt", "CRDB_SSL_CERTFILE": "/certs/client.crt", "CRDB_SSL_KEYFILE": "/certs/client.key" } } } } Copy configuration ↗ ### Compatibility MCP clients supporting stdio or Streamable HTTP. · A reachable CockroachDB cluster with certificate-based credentials, or an explicitly opted-in password connection. ### Implementation Go ### Transports stdio · Streamable HTTP ### CockroachDB SQL credentials - Read-only tools are registered by default; write and DDL tools require CRDB_MCP_ENABLE_WRITE_QUERIES=true. - Password-based database auth is rejected unless CRDB_MCP_ALLOW_PASSWORD_AUTH is set; HTTP mode requires a bearer token and TLS. ### Cost model Open source under Apache-2.0; CockroachDB cluster or cloud costs apply separately. 04 / FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE ## The source trail. Our notes are separate from the original resource. Check upstream before adopting a new version. - [CockroachDB MCP Server readme at pinned revision ↗](https://github.com/cockroachdb/cockroachdb-mcp-server/blob/2f06f189dde830952f8c5baf1bd09b6e28d17c86/README.md) Checked 2026-10-07 https://github.com/cockroachdb/cockroachdb-mcp-server/blob/2f06f189dde830952f8c5baf1bd09b6e28d17c86/README.md Supports: summary, upstreamDescription, install, configExample, access, transports, whySelected, bestFor, limitations - [Repository licence at pinned revision ↗](https://github.com/cockroachdb/cockroachdb-mcp-server/blob/2f06f189dde830952f8c5baf1bd09b6e28d17c86/LICENSE) Checked 2026-10-07 https://github.com/cockroachdb/cockroachdb-mcp-server/blob/2f06f189dde830952f8c5baf1bd09b6e28d17c86/LICENSE Supports: license - [go.mod manifest at pinned revision ↗](https://github.com/cockroachdb/cockroachdb-mcp-server/blob/2f06f189dde830952f8c5baf1bd09b6e28d17c86/go.mod) Checked 2026-10-07 https://github.com/cockroachdb/cockroachdb-mcp-server/blob/2f06f189dde830952f8c5baf1bd09b6e28d17c86/go.mod Supports: language, compatibility KEEP COMPARING ## Other approaches to consider. Related by category or shared topics. These are alternatives to inspect, not a measured quality order. [### YDB MCP ↗ Python MCP server from the ydb-platform organisation that runs YDB SQL, explains queries, and lists or describes paths, with writes off unless a flag or environment variable turns them on.](/mcp-servers/ydb/)[### YugabyteDB MCP Server ↗ Python MCP server from the Yugabyte organisation that lists schema objects, runs a SELECT inside a read-only transaction, and keeps the write tool off unless an operator flag turns it on.](/mcp-servers/yugabytedb/)[### Aurora DSQL MCP ↗ AWS Labs MCP server that turns questions into Postgres-compatible SQL for Aurora DSQL, read-only unless --allow-writes is passed, and only on the same host as the client.](/mcp-servers/awslabs-aurora-dsql/) [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/)