Ask Your Database Questions in Plain English with MCP
With a database MCP server, your AI assistant becomes a SQL expert that already knows your schema. Ask questions in plain English and get instant, accurate answers — without writing a single query.
Servers You'll Need
PostgreSQL MCP Server
OfficialQuery your PostgreSQL database with natural language
The official PostgreSQL MCP server from Anthropic lets your AI assistant read and query any PostgreSQL database. Ask que…
SQLite MCP Server
OfficialQuery and analyze SQLite databases with your AI assistant
The official SQLite MCP server gives your AI assistant full access to any SQLite database file. Unlike PostgreSQL, SQLit…
Step-by-Step Setup
- 1
Install the database server
For PostgreSQL: `npm install -g @modelcontextprotocol/server-postgres`. For SQLite: `npm install -g @modelcontextprotocol/server-sqlite`. You only need the one matching your database.
- 2
Add it to your AI client config
Open your Claude Desktop (or Cursor) config file and add the server. For Postgres, you'll provide a connection string in the environment. For SQLite, provide the file path as an argument.
- 3
Restart your AI client
Quit and reopen Claude Desktop (or restart Cursor). The server should connect automatically. You'll see database tools listed if you click the tools icon.
- 4
Start asking questions
Ask the AI to describe your schema, find rows, aggregate data, or explain query results. The AI generates and executes the SQL, then explains the result to you.
Example Prompts to Try
- “What tables are in my database and what do they contain?”
- “How many users signed up last week?”
- “Which products have the highest return rate?”
- “Show me all orders over $500 from the past month”
- “Is there any data quality issue I should know about in the users table?”
Tips
- Grant read-only database credentials for safety — the AI can still answer questions without write access.
- Ask the AI to explain the SQL it ran. It's a great way to learn.
- For complex analytics, tell the AI the business question first, then let it figure out the query.
FAQ
Can the AI modify my database?
By default, most database MCP servers expose both read and write operations. For safety, create a read-only database user and use those credentials in your MCP config.
Does my database data get sent to Anthropic?
Query results are included in the conversation context sent to the AI API. Treat this the same as any other data you include in a chat with Claude. Don't use it with sensitive PII unless your data agreements allow it.