Overview
What is Astra DB MCP Server?
A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server for interacting with Astra DB. It extends LLMs by allowing them to act as agents that can manage collections, perform CRUD operations, run vector and hybrid search, and execute bulk data operations on an Astra DB database.
How to use Astra DB MCP Server?
Install by running npx -y @datastax/astra-db-mcp with the required environment variables ASTRA_DB_APPLICATION_TOKEN and ASTRA_DB_API_ENDPOINT. Optionally set ASTRA_DB_KEYSPACE to target a specific keyspace. Add the server to an MCP client such as Claude Desktop or Cursor by editing their configuration JSON.
Key features of Astra DB MCP Server
- Collection management: create, update, delete, and list collections
- Vector search and hybrid search on embeddings
- CRUD operations on individual records
- Bulk create, update, and delete records
- Find records by field value and distinct values
- Estimate document count in a collection
Use cases of Astra DB MCP Server
- Let an LLM agent read and write data to an Astra DB database
- Power semantic search with vector similarity on embeddings
- Perform hybrid retrieval combining vector and text queries
- Manage and bulk-load records in collections via natural language
FAQ from Astra DB MCP Server
What prerequisites are needed to run this server?
You need an active Astra DB database, an Astra DB Application Token, and the Astra DB API Endpoint. A free database can be created at the Astra DB registration page.
Which MCP clients are supported?
The README provides setup instructions for Claude Desktop and Cursor. Other MCP clients that accept a command-based server may also work.
How do I configure a specific keyspace?
Add the ASTRA_DB_KEYSPACE environment variable to the server configuration. If omitted, the default keyspace configured in the underlying Astra DB library is used.
Can I perform vector search with this server?
Yes. The server provides VectorSearch for similarity search on embeddings and HybridSearch that combines vector similarity with text search. Both support configurable limits, filters, and scoring.
What runtime environment does the server require?
It runs via npx (Node.js package runner). On Windows PowerShell, the command should use cmd /k npx because npx is a batch command.
