--- title: "Grafana MCP Server: review, setup & limitations · Undominated.ai" canonical: https://undominated.ai/mcp-servers/grafana/ description: "Connects dashboards, logs, metrics and related Grafana data sources to an assistant, with separate controls for writes and query execution." --- # Grafana MCP Server: review, setup & limitations · Undominated.ai > Connects dashboards, logs, metrics and related Grafana data sources to an assistant, with separate controls for writes and query execution. [← Explore all mcp servers](/mcp-servers/) OBSERVABILITY / Grafana # Grafana MCP Server Connects dashboards, logs, metrics and related Grafana data sources to an assistant, with separate controls for writes and query execution. See setup guidance ↓Original source ↗ SOURCE REVIEW Reviewed 2026-09-21 Evidence 4 linked sources Publisher Grafana Licence Apache-2.0 ↗ Revision 20b20b3aec8e Read what was—and wasn’t—checked ↓ “This provides access to your Grafana instance and the surrounding ecosystem.” Grafana · upstream description ↗ Our analysis follows below. 01 / THE REASONING ## Why this made the selection. - Separates metadata access, datasource query execution and write tools through explicit flags. - Uses existing Grafana datasource connections, so an investigation can cross observability systems. ### A good fit for - Tracing a dashboard anomaly into related logs or metrics. ### Weigh up before choosing - Write tools are enabled unless disabled; raw SQL permissions also depend on the underlying datasource. - HTTP caller authentication is optional and must be configured; binding a public interface does not add it. 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 (installation, capability and permission sections) - go.mod - cmd/mcp-grafana/main.go - LICENSE ### Our findings - --disable-write and --disable-query are different controls; --enable-query can re-enable raw query tools under write restriction. - Datasource plugins authenticate queries; their permissions must be reviewed in addition to the Grafana service account. ### Not established by this review - Server startup, authentication and tool execution were 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 ↗ DOCUMENTED COMMAND uvx mcp-grafana Copy command ↗ Copying does not execute this command. It may retrieve a newer version than the reviewed source. - Set GRAFANA_URL and an appropriately scoped Grafana service-account token. - Choose tool categories and write/query restrictions; configure a caller token before sharing a network listener. ### Before you start - uv and access to a supported Grafana instance. ### Compatibility An MCP client supporting stdio, SSE, Streamable HTTP. · uv and access to a supported Grafana instance. ### Implementation Go ### Transports stdio · SSE · Streamable HTTP ### Observability / Configured credentials or local access - Reads dashboards, telemetry and datasource query results. - Enabled tools can change Grafana state; SQL datasource queries may mutate data if allowed downstream. ### Cost model Grafana and connected datasource plans or hosting/query usage apply. 04 / FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE ## The source trail. Our notes are separate from the original resource. Check upstream before adopting a new version. - Official documentation ↗ Checked 2026-09-21 https://github.com/grafana/mcp-grafana/blob/20b20b3aec8ebc56162ffac233ac9de9e46f5684/README.md Supports: summary, whySelected, bestFor, limitations, install, access, compatibility, transports - Applicable source licence ↗ Checked 2026-09-21 https://github.com/grafana/mcp-grafana/blob/20b20b3aec8ebc56162ffac233ac9de9e46f5684/LICENSE Supports: license - Implementation: go.mod ↗ Checked 2026-09-21 https://github.com/grafana/mcp-grafana/blob/20b20b3aec8ebc56162ffac233ac9de9e46f5684/go.mod Supports: language, review - Implementation: cmd/mcp-grafana/main.go ↗ Checked 2026-09-21 https://github.com/grafana/mcp-grafana/blob/20b20b3aec8ebc56162ffac233ac9de9e46f5684/cmd/mcp-grafana/main.go Supports: language, review KEEP COMPARING ## Other approaches to consider. Related by category or shared topics. These are alternatives to inspect, not a measured quality order. [### Datadog MCP ↗ Query Datadog telemetry and operate permitted monitoring resources from an authenticated AI client.](/mcp-servers/datadog/)[### Honeycomb MCP ↗ Explore production telemetry and save investigations in Honeycomb, with additional write scope for operational changes.](/mcp-servers/honeycomb/)[### Langfuse data MCP ↗ Inspect Langfuse observations, prompts and evaluation data, and manage supported project resources through its native MCP endpoint.](/mcp-servers/langfuse/) [AI Tools ↗](/tools/)[Skills ↗](/skills/)[Agents ↗](/agents/)[MCP Servers ↗](/mcp-servers/)