MongoDB MCP Server for Claude

## Content

MongoDB MCP Server connects Claude and other MCP-capable clients to MongoDB
databases and MongoDB Atlas through a local stdio server, Docker container, or
HTTP transport. It gives an assistant tools for database inspection, find and
aggregation queries, schema and index metadata, Atlas project and cluster
operations, performance advisor data, exports, Atlas Local deployments, and
MongoDB Assistant knowledge search.

The safest default is to run it with `--readOnly`, pass credentials through
environment variables, and disable tool categories that are not needed for the
current task. MongoDB's own examples include read-only mode by default, and the
server exposes additional guardrails for disabled tools, confirmation-required
tools, index checking, query limits, export cleanup, logging, and telemetry.

## Features

- Local stdio MCP server through `npx -y mongodb-mcp-server@latest`.
- Docker-based setup with the official `mongodb/mongodb-mcp-server` image.
- Optional Streamable HTTP transport with configurable host, port, request
  headers, response type, session handling, and monitoring endpoints.
- Connection through MongoDB connection strings or MongoDB Atlas service account
  credentials.
- Read-only mode that restricts the server to read, connect, and metadata
  operation types.
- Disabled tool configuration by tool name, operation type, or category.
- Confirmation-required tool configuration for destructive or sensitive tools
  when the MCP client supports elicitation.
- MongoDB database tools for finding documents, running aggregations, listing
  databases and collections, inspecting schema and indexes, explaining queries,
  exporting results, and reading logs.
- Atlas tools for organizations, projects, clusters, database users, access
  lists, alerts, performance advisor recommendations, Atlas Stream Processing,
  and Atlas Local deployments.
- MongoDB Assistant tools for searching official documentation and curated
  MongoDB guidance.
- Resources for redacted configuration, MongoDB debug information, and exported
  data.

## Use Cases

- Ask Claude to list MongoDB databases and collections before touching
  application data.
- Inspect collection schemas, indexes, and storage size while planning a model
  or API change.
- Run bounded read-only find or aggregation queries against development or
  staging data.
- Use Atlas Performance Advisor and slow query samples to investigate query
  performance.
- Search MongoDB Assistant knowledge while implementing a driver, Atlas, or
  schema-design workflow.
- Export query results for short-lived local analysis with explicit cleanup and
  access controls.
- Manage Atlas projects, clusters, access lists, database users, or stream
  processing resources only after narrowing roles and requiring human approval.

## Installation

### Read-only stdio setup

Pass the MongoDB connection string through an environment variable and keep
read-only mode enabled:

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "MongoDB": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "mongodb-mcp-server@latest", "--readOnly"],
      "env": {
        "MDB_MCP_CONNECTION_STRING": "mongodb://localhost:27017/myDatabase"
      }
    }
  }
}
```

### Read-only Atlas setup

Use Atlas service account credentials when Atlas tools are required:

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "MongoDB": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "mongodb-mcp-server@latest", "--readOnly"],
      "env": {
        "MDB_MCP_API_CLIENT_ID": "ATLAS_SERVICE_ACCOUNT_CLIENT_ID",
        "MDB_MCP_API_CLIENT_SECRET": "ATLAS_SERVICE_ACCOUNT_CLIENT_SECRET"
      }
    }
  }
}
```

### Docker setup

Run the official Docker image with read-only mode and credentials supplied as
environment variables:

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "MongoDB": {
      "command": "docker",
      "args": [
        "run",
        "--rm",
        "-i",
        "-e",
        "MDB_MCP_CONNECTION_STRING",
        "-e",
        "MDB_MCP_READ_ONLY=true",
        "mongodb/mongodb-mcp-server:latest"
      ],
      "env": {
        "MDB_MCP_CONNECTION_STRING": "mongodb://localhost:27017/myDatabase"
      }
    }
  }
}
```

## Configuration

### Disable writes and expensive query patterns

```bash
export MDB_MCP_READ_ONLY=true
export MDB_MCP_DISABLED_TOOLS="create,update,delete"
export MDB_MCP_INDEX_CHECK=true
export MDB_MCP_MAX_DOCUMENTS_PER_QUERY=100
export MDB_MCP_TELEMETRY=disabled
```

### Protect logs and exports

```bash
export MDB_MCP_LOGGERS="mcp,stderr"
export MDB_MCP_EXPORTS_PATH="/path/to/restricted/mongodb-mcp-exports"
```

## Examples

### Inspect collections safely

```plaintext
Using MongoDB MCP in read-only mode, list databases and collections, then summarize likely application data boundaries without modifying anything.
```

### Review schema and indexes

```plaintext
Describe the schema and indexes for the orders collection, then identify queries that may need a supporting index.
```

### Run a bounded aggregation

```plaintext
Run a read-only aggregation that counts orders by status and returns only aggregate totals, not raw customer documents.
```

### Check Atlas performance recommendations

```plaintext
Use Atlas Performance Advisor for the selected project and summarize suggested indexes and slow query samples without creating resources.
```

### Search MongoDB guidance

```plaintext
Search MongoDB Assistant knowledge for schema design guidance related to time-series data and summarize the official recommendations.
```

## Source notes

- The official repository describes MongoDB MCP Server as a Model Context
  Protocol server for interacting with MongoDB databases and MongoDB Atlas.
- The README says the server will not start unless configured with either a
  MongoDB connection string or Atlas API credentials.
- The README lists Node.js requirements and documents setup for MCP clients,
  `npx`, Docker, HTTP transport, Copilot CLI, and OpenCode.
- The README states that examples include `--readOnly` by default and says to
  remove it only when write operations are needed.
- The README recommends environment variables for sensitive configuration such
  as connection strings and Atlas API credentials instead of command-line
  arguments because command-line arguments can appear in process lists and
  logs.
- The README lists MongoDB database tools such as `find`, `aggregate`,
  `collection-schema`, `collection-indexes`, `explain`, `export`, `insert-many`,
  `update-many`, `delete-many`, `drop-collection`, and `drop-database`.
- The README lists Atlas tools for organizations, projects, clusters, alerts,
  access lists, database users, performance advisor, stream processing, and
  Atlas Local deployments.
- The README documents `MDB_MCP_READ_ONLY` and `--readOnly`, saying read-only
  mode allows only read, connect, and metadata operation types.
- The README documents `disabledTools`, operation-type categories, default
  confirmation-required tools, `indexCheck`, max document and byte limits,
  export cleanup, loggers, and telemetry opt-out.
- The README warns that HTTP transport is not recommended for production use
  without authentication, HTTPS or TLS, private networking or firewalls, rate
  limiting, and not exposing it directly to the internet.
- The README's Atlas API permissions section recommends least-privilege service
  account roles and warns that Organization Owner is rarely necessary.
- The repository is `mongodb-js/mongodb-mcp-server`, is Apache-2.0 licensed,
  active, and maintained by MongoDB.

## Duplicate check

Checked current `content/mcp/`, `content/tools/`, guides, skills, agents, hooks,
open pull requests, live issue state, and repository-wide content for `MongoDB
MCP`, `mongodb-js/mongodb-mcp-server`, `mongodb-mcp-server`,
`www.mongodb.com/docs/mcp-server`, `MDB_MCP_CONNECTION_STRING`,
`MDB_MCP_READ_ONLY`, `Atlas service account`, `MongoDB Atlas MCP`, and
`MongoDB Assistant`. No dedicated MongoDB MCP entry, target file, exact source
URL duplicate, issue duplicate, semantic duplicate, or open duplicate PR was
found.

## Disclosure

Editorial listing. No paid placement or affiliate link is used. MongoDB MCP
Server is Apache-2.0 open-source software maintained by MongoDB; MongoDB Atlas,
MongoDB databases, cloud providers, Docker, MCP clients, API credentials,
telemetry, logs, exports, and downstream storage or analysis systems may have
separate licenses, billing, terms, privacy obligations, and access controls.