--- title: "YDB MCP: review, setup & limitations · Undominated.ai" canonical: https://undominated.ai/mcp-servers/ydb/ description: "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." --- # YDB MCP: review, setup & limitations · Undominated.ai > 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. [← Explore all mcp servers](/mcp-servers/) DATABASE DEVELOPMENT / YDB MCP Team # 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. [See setup guidance ↓](#setup)[Original source ↗](https://github.com/ydb-platform/ydb-mcp) SOURCE REVIEW Reviewed 2026-10-15 Evidence 4 linked sources Publisher YDB MCP Team Licence [Apache-2.0 ↗](https://github.com/ydb-platform/ydb-mcp/blob/1ee9df3598abed71ffb83dbdec1375374f89f866/LICENSE) Revision 1ee9df3598ab [Read what was—and wasn’t—checked ↓](#review) “Model Context Protocol server for YDB. It allows to work with YDB databases from any LLM that supports MCP. This integration enables AI-powered database operations and natural language interactions with your YDB instances.” [YDB MCP Team · upstream description ↗](https://github.com/ydb-platform/ydb-mcp/blob/1ee9df3598abed71ffb83dbdec1375374f89f866/README.md) Our analysis follows below. 01 / THE REASONING ## Why this made the selection. - ydb-platform publishes ydb-mcp. At 1ee9df3598abed71ffb83dbdec1375374f89f866, pyproject.toml names version 0.3.0, author YDB MCP Team, requires Python >=3.10, and classifies the package as Development Status :: 3 - Alpha. The script entry is ydb-mcp. - The README lists ydb_query, ydb_query_with_params, ydb_explain_query, ydb_explain_query_with_params, ydb_list_directory, ydb_describe_path, and ydb_status. It says queries are read-only unless --ydb-allow-write or YDB_ALLOW_WRITE=true is set. ### A good fit for - Run a read-only YDB query or an explain plan against an endpoint such as the README's grpc://localhost:2136 example. - Turn on writes with --ydb-allow-write or YDB_ALLOW_WRITE=true when the YDB credentials are meant to modify data. ### Weigh up before choosing - The default-branch commit read here, 1ee9df3598abed71ffb83dbdec1375374f89f866, is dated 2026-09-21. pyproject.toml version is 0.3.0 and the classifier is Alpha. - The printed install line is pip install ydb-mcp with no version. The README says the package is on PyPI. This review did not query the registry. - The README says read-only mode uses YDB snapshot read-only transactions and that YDB itself rejects writes, rather than the server matching SQL text. Writes require --ydb-allow-write or YDB_ALLOW_WRITE=true. - Auth modes named in the README are anonymous, login-password, access-token, and service-account. Service-account auth needs the yandexcloud package, which the README says is not installed by default. - The README spells the uvx description as allias. That spelling is left as printed. The LICENSE appendix is Copyright 2022-2025 YANDEX LLC, while pyproject.toml names the author YDB MCP Team. - ydb_mcp/server.py defaults run() to stdio. The README client examples are local command blocks and do not name another transport. 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 1ee9df3598abed71ffb83dbdec1375374f89f866: opening paragraph, uvx anonymous JSON, pip install line, auth modes, write-query section, tool list. - pyproject.toml at the same revision: name, version 0.3.0, author, Apache 2.0 text, Alpha classifier, requires-python, script entry. - LICENSE at the same revision: Apache License 2.0, appendix Copyright 2022-2025 YANDEX LLC. - ydb_mcp/server.py at the same revision: run() default argument stdio. ### Our findings - publisher in this record is the pyproject author YDB MCP Team. The LICENSE copyright holder is YANDEX LLC. - pip install ydb-mcp does not pin version 0.3.0. The uvx and pipx examples also omit a version. - The README says write rejection is done by YDB snapshot read-only transactions, not by SQL text matching in this server. ### Not established by this review - Not executed: it was not installed or run. - No YDB endpoint was contacted and no auth mode was exercised. 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/ydb-platform/ydb-mcp/blob/1ee9df3598abed71ffb83dbdec1375374f89f866/README.md) DOCUMENTED COMMAND pip install ydb-mcp Copy command ↗ Copying does not execute this command. It may retrieve a newer version than the reviewed source. - The README prints pip install ydb-mcp as a single bash line. It does not pin 0.3.0. - Or use the printed uvx or pipx client blocks, which also omit a version. - For a service account, the README says to add the yandexcloud package, which is not installed by default. One printed line is pip install ydb-mcp yandexcloud. ### Before you start - Python >=3.10 and pip, or uvx, or pipx. - A YDB endpoint and one of the auth modes the README names. ### Documented configuration example Use the client and authentication context described in the setup guidance. Configuration formats vary between hosts. { "mcpServers": { "ydb": { "command": "uvx", "args": [ "ydb-mcp", "--ydb-endpoint", "grpc://localhost:2136", "--ydb-database", "/local" ] } } } Copy configuration ↗ ### Compatibility Python >=3.10, as pyproject.toml states. · A YDB endpoint. The anonymous examples use grpc://localhost:2136 and database /local. · uvx, pipx, or pip, which the README gives as separate client setups. ### Implementation Python ### Transports stdio ### YDB endpoint and auth mode - The anonymous example passes only an endpoint and a database path. Other README examples pass a login and password, an access token, or a service-account key file. - Queries are read-only unless --ydb-allow-write or YDB_ALLOW_WRITE=true is set. - TLS examples use a grpcs:// endpoint and an optional --ydb-root-certificates PEM path. - ydb_mcp/server.py run() defaults to stdio and calls the parent with that transport. ### Cost model Apache-2.0. The files read here do not state a fee for this server or for YDB. 04 / FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE ## The source trail. Our notes are separate from the original resource. Check upstream before adopting a new version. - [YDB MCP README at 1ee9df35 ↗](https://github.com/ydb-platform/ydb-mcp/blob/1ee9df3598abed71ffb83dbdec1375374f89f866/README.md) Checked 2026-10-15 https://github.com/ydb-platform/ydb-mcp/blob/1ee9df3598abed71ffb83dbdec1375374f89f866/README.md Supports: upstreamDescription, install, configExample, bestFor, limitations, access - [Apache License 2.0 at 1ee9df35 ↗](https://github.com/ydb-platform/ydb-mcp/blob/1ee9df3598abed71ffb83dbdec1375374f89f866/LICENSE) Checked 2026-10-15 https://github.com/ydb-platform/ydb-mcp/blob/1ee9df3598abed71ffb83dbdec1375374f89f866/LICENSE Supports: license - [pyproject.toml at 1ee9df35 ↗](https://github.com/ydb-platform/ydb-mcp/blob/1ee9df3598abed71ffb83dbdec1375374f89f866/pyproject.toml) Checked 2026-10-15 https://github.com/ydb-platform/ydb-mcp/blob/1ee9df3598abed71ffb83dbdec1375374f89f866/pyproject.toml Supports: language, compatibility, whySelected - [ydb_mcp/server.py at 1ee9df35 ↗](https://github.com/ydb-platform/ydb-mcp/blob/1ee9df3598abed71ffb83dbdec1375374f89f866/ydb_mcp/server.py) Checked 2026-10-15 https://github.com/ydb-platform/ydb-mcp/blob/1ee9df3598abed71ffb83dbdec1375374f89f866/ydb_mcp/server.py Supports: transports, access KEEP COMPARING ## Other approaches to consider. Related by category or shared topics. These are alternatives to inspect, not a measured quality order. [### 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/)[### 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.](/mcp-servers/cockroachdb/)[### MCP MariaDB Server ↗ Python MCP server from the MariaDB organisation that lists databases and schemas, runs statements through a default read-only gate, and can register vector-store tools when an embedding provider is set.](/mcp-servers/mariadb/) [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/)