Talk with Your Database Using MCP

This guide explains how to set up and run your MCP server to interact with your

PostgreSQL database using Claude Desktop. It should also work with MySQL,

MariaDB, SQLite as it uses sqlalchemy under the hood. This project is build on

top of https://github.com/runekaagaard/mcp-alchemy

> Note: This guide assumes you have a basic understanding of Docker,

> environment variables, and CLI usage.

Prerequisites

• Docker Compose:

Installation instructions

• Claude Desktop: Download here
• uv: A modern, high-performance Python package manager. If not installed,

follow the instructions below.

1. Set Up Environment Variables

1. Copy and Rename the Environment File

Duplicate the provided `.env.example` file and rename it to `.env`:

cp .env.example .env

2. Set Up Claude Desktop

1. Download and Install Claude Desktop

Visit the Claude Desktop download page and

install the application.

3. Launch the PostgreSQL Database with Dummy Data

1. Run Docker Compose

Ensure Docker Compose is installed and run:

docker-compose up -d

populate it with dummy data.

4. Install `uv` (if not already installed)

1. Install `uv`

Execute the following command to install `uv`:

curl -LsSf https://astral.sh/uv/install.sh | sh

5. Configure and Launch the MCP Server

1. Create/Update the MCP Server Configuration

Save the following JSON configuration in your MCP server config file (adjust

paths if necessary):

{
     "mcpServers": {
       "my_database": {
         "command": "uv",
         "args": [
           "--directory",
           "/directory/where/this/app/is/located/app/",
           "run",
           "server.py"
         ],
         "env": {
           "DB_URL": "postgresql://postgres:password@localhost:5432/mydatabase"
         }
       }
     }
   }

`"command"` value to reflect the full path to the executable.

2. Launch the MCP Server

With the configuration in place, the MCP server will automatically start each

time Claude Desktop is launched.

6. Enjoy Your Setup

• Open Claude Desktop.
• The tool will automatically call your MCP server, enabling you to interact

with your database seamlessly.

Summary

1. Set Up Environment Variables: Copy `.env.example` to `.env`.

2. Install and Run Claude Desktop: Download from

Claude Desktop.

3. Launch PostgreSQL with Docker Compose: Run `docker-compose up` to start

the database with dummy data.

4. Install `uv`: Run the provided installation command if necessary.

5. Configure MCP Server: Update the config file and ensure paths and

environment variables are correct.

6. Launch and Enjoy: Start Claude Desktop to begin interacting with your

database via MCP.

If you encounter any issues or need further assistance, please refer to the

relevant documentation or contact your support team.

Happy coding!