About couchdb-mcp-server
couchdb-mcp-server is a TypeScript MCP server for managing CouchDB databases and documents. It provides basic operations across CouchDB versions and Mango indexes and queries for CouchDB 3.x and later.
Key features
- 01Create, list, and delete databases
- 02Create, update, and retrieve documents
- 03Create and remove Mango indexes
- 04List indexes and query documents
- 05Version-aware feature support
- 06Formatted MCP errors
Use cases
- 01Managing CouchDB databases through an AI assistant
- 02Reading and updating CouchDB documents
- 03Querying CouchDB 3.x data with Mango
MCP support
The server exposes CouchDB database, document, index, and query operations as tools for MCP clients. Mango query tools are enabled for CouchDB 3.x and later.
Configuration
Local server config is the same for every client. Copy it into your client’s MCP config file.
Tools
Local servers expose tools only once running on your machine, and the maintainer has not provided a tool list.
Details
From the project READMEcouchdb-mcp-server
A Model Context Protocol server for interacting with CouchDB
This is a TypeScript-based MCP server that provides tools for managing CouchDB databases and documents. It enables AI assistants to interact with CouchDB through a simple interface.
Features
Tools
Base Tools (All CouchDB Versions)
-
createDatabase- Create a new CouchDB database- Takes
dbNameas a required parameter - Creates the database if it doesn't exist
- Takes
-
listDatabases- List all CouchDB databases- Returns an array of database names
-
deleteDatabase- Delete a CouchDB database- Takes
dbNameas a required parameter - Removes the specified database and all its documents
- Takes
-
createDocument- Create a new document or update an existing document in a database- Required parameters:
dbName: Database namedocId: Document IDdata: Document data (JSON object)- For updates, include
_revfield with the current document revision
- For updates, include
- Returns:
- For new documents: document ID and new revision
- For updates: document ID and updated revision
- Automatically detects if operation is create or update based on presence of
_revfield
- Required parameters:
-
getDocument- Get a document from a database- Required parameters:
dbName: Database namedocId: Document ID
- Returns the document content
- Required parameters:
Mango Query Tools (CouchDB 3.x+ Only)
-
createMangoIndex- Create a new Mango index- Required parameters:
dbName: Database nameindexName: Name of the indexfields: Array of field names to index
- Creates a new index for efficient querying
- Required parameters:
-
deleteMangoIndex- Delete a Mango index- Required parameters:
dbName: Database namedesignDoc: Design document nameindexName: Name of the index
- Removes an existing Mango index
- Required parameters:
-
listMangoIndexes- List all Mango indexes in a database- Required parameters:
dbName: Database name
- Returns information about all indexes in the database
- Required parameters:
-
findDocuments- Query documents using Mango query- Required parameters:
dbName: Database namequery: Mango query object
- Performs a query using CouchDB's Mango query syntax
- Required parameters:
Version Support
The server automatically detects the CouchDB version and enables features accordingly:
- All versions: Basic database and document operations
- CouchDB 3.x+: Mango query support (indexes and queries)
Configuration
The server requires a CouchDB connection URL and version. These can be provided through environment variables:
COUCHDB_URL=http://username:password@localhost:5984
COUCHDB_VERSION=1.7.2
You can create a `.env` file in the project root with this configuration. If not provided, it defaults to `http://localhost:5984`.
## Development
Install dependencies:
```bash
npm install
Build the server:
npm run build
For development with auto-rebuild:
npm run watch
Installation
Installing via Smithery
To install couchdb-mcp-server for Claude Desktop automatically via Smithery:
npx -y @smithery/cli install @robertoamoreno/couchdb-mcp-server --client claude
To use with Claude Desktop, add the server config:
On MacOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
On Windows: %APPDATA%/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
{
"mcpServers": {
"couchdb-mcp-server": {
"command": "/path/to/couchdb-mcp-server/build/index.js",
"env": {
"COUCHDB_URL": "http://username:password@localhost:5984"
}
}
}
}
Prerequisites
- Node.js 14 or higher
- Running CouchDB instance
- Proper CouchDB credentials if authentication is enabled
Debugging
Since MCP servers communicate over stdio, debugging can be challenging. We recommend using the MCP Inspector, which is available as a package script:
npm run inspector
The Inspector will provide a URL to access debugging tools in your browser.
Error Handling
The server includes robust error handling for common scenarios:
- Invalid database names or document IDs
- Database already exists/doesn't exist
- Connection issues
- Authentication failures
- Invalid document data
All errors are properly formatted and returned through the MCP protocol with appropriate error codes and messages.
Comments
New to MCP?
From what the protocol is to installing your first server, these answers cover most first questions.
An open protocol that defines how AI applications connect to external tools and data in a uniform way. Clients talk to the model; MCP servers provide tools, resources and prompt templates. They exchange standard messages, so one server can be reused by many clients.