mcp-clickhouse-like 1.1.0
An MCP server for ClickHouse.
Requires Python: >=3.10

# ClickHouse MCP Server (Enhanced)

[![PyPI - Version](https://img.shields.io/pypi/v/mcp-clickhouse-like)](https://pypi.org/project/mcp-clickhouse-like)

An MCP server for ClickHouse with enhanced filtering capabilities for database and table discovery.

> **Note**: This is a fork of [ClickHouse/mcp-clickhouse](https://github.com/ClickHouse/mcp-clickhouse) with added filtering support for `list_databases` and `list_tables` tools. Both functions now support single or multiple LIKE/NOT LIKE patterns for flexible database and table discovery.

## What's New in This Fork

- ✨ **Multiple Pattern Support**: Filter databases and tables using multiple LIKE patterns with OR logic
- ✨ **Advanced Exclusions**: Exclude using multiple NOT LIKE patterns with AND logic
- ✨ **Backward Compatible**: Single string patterns still work exactly as before
- ✨ **Pagination Aware**: Multiple patterns work seamlessly with table pagination

## Features

### ClickHouse Tools

* `run_select_query`
  * Execute SQL queries on your ClickHouse cluster.
  * Input: `sql` (string): The SQL query to execute.
  * All ClickHouse queries are run with `readonly = 1` to ensure they are safe.

* `list_databases`
  * List databases on your ClickHouse cluster.
  * Optional inputs:
    * `like` (string or list of strings): Apply `LIKE` filter(s) to database names. Multiple patterns are combined with OR logic.
    * `not_like` (string or list of strings): Apply `NOT LIKE` filter(s) to exclude database names. Multiple patterns are combined with AND logic.
  * Examples:
    * `like="prod_%"` - Single pattern
    * `like=["prod_%", "staging_%"]` - Multiple patterns (matches either)
    * `not_like=["test_%", "temp_%"]` - Exclude multiple patterns (excludes both)

* `list_tables`
  * List tables in a database with pagination.
  * Required input: `database` (string).
  * Optional inputs:
    * `like` (string or list of strings): Apply `LIKE` filter(s) to table names. Multiple patterns are combined with OR logic.
    * `not_like` (string or list of strings): Apply `NOT LIKE` filter(s) to exclude table names. Multiple patterns are combined with AND logic.
    * `page_token` (string): Token returned by a previous call for fetching the next page.
    * `page_size` (int, default `50`): Number of tables returned per page.
    * `include_detailed_columns` (bool, default `true`): When `false`, omits column metadata for lighter responses while keeping the full `create_table_query`.
  * Examples:
    * `like="user_%"` - Single pattern
    * `like=["user_%", "order_%"]` - Multiple patterns (matches either)
    * `not_like=["temp_%", "backup_%"]` - Exclude multiple patterns (excludes both)
  * Response shape:
    * `tables`: Array of table objects for the current page.
    * `next_page_token`: Pass this value back to fetch the next page, or `null` when there are no more tables.
    * `total_tables`: Total count of tables that match the supplied filters.

### chDB Tools

* `run_chdb_select_query`
  * Execute SQL queries using [chDB](https://github.com/chdb-io/chdb)'s embedded ClickHouse engine.
  * Input: `sql` (string): The SQL query to execute.
  * Query data directly from various sources (files, URLs, databases) without ETL processes.

### Enhanced Filtering Capabilities

This fork adds powerful filtering capabilities to both `list_databases` and `list_tables` tools, allowing you to efficiently discover and filter databases and tables using SQL LIKE patterns.

#### Key Features

1. **Single Pattern Filtering**
   - Filter with a single LIKE pattern: `like="prod_%"` matches all databases/tables starting with "prod_"
   - Exclude with a single NOT LIKE pattern: `not_like="test_%"` excludes all starting with "test_"

2. **Multiple Pattern Filtering**
   - **OR logic for `like`**: `like=["user_%", "order_%"]` matches tables starting with "user_" OR "order_"
   - **AND logic for `not_like`**: `not_like=["temp_%", "backup_%"]` excludes tables starting with "temp_" AND tables starting with "backup_"

3. **Combined Filtering**
   - Mix both: `like=["prod_%", "staging_%"], not_like=["_backup"]` includes prod/staging but excludes any ending with "_backup"

#### Use Cases

**Scenario 1: Multi-environment Database Discovery**
```python
# Find all production and staging databases
list_databases(like=["prod_%", "staging_%"])
```

**Scenario 2: Clean Table Listing**
```python
# List all user and order tables, but exclude temporary and backup tables
list_tables(
    database="mydb",
    like=["user_%", "order_%"],
    not_like=["temp_%", "backup_%"]
)
```

**Scenario 3: Development Environment Cleanup**
```python
# Find all test/temp/dev databases for cleanup
list_databases(like=["test_%", "temp_%", "dev_%"])
```

### Health Check Endpoint

When running with HTTP or SSE transport, a health check endpoint is available at `/health`. This endpoint:
- Returns `200 OK` with the ClickHouse version if the server is healthy and can connect to ClickHouse
- Returns `503 Service Unavailable` if the server cannot connect to ClickHouse

Example:
```bash
curl http://localhost:8000/health
# Response: OK - Connected to ClickHouse 24.3.1
```

## Configuration

This MCP server supports both ClickHouse and chDB. You can enable either or both depending on your needs.

1. Open the Claude Desktop configuration file located at:
   * On macOS: `~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json`
   * On Windows: `%APPDATA%/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json`

2. Add the following:

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "mcp-clickhouse": {
      "command": "uv",
      "args": [
        "run",
        "--with",
        "mcp-clickhouse-like",
        "--python",
        "3.10",
        "mcp-clickhouse"
      ],
      "env": {
        "CLICKHOUSE_HOST": "<clickhouse-host>",
        "CLICKHOUSE_PORT": "<clickhouse-port>",
        "CLICKHOUSE_USER": "<clickhouse-user>",
        "CLICKHOUSE_PASSWORD": "<clickhouse-password>",
        "CLICKHOUSE_ROLE": "<clickhouse-role>",
        "CLICKHOUSE_SECURE": "true",
        "CLICKHOUSE_VERIFY": "true",
        "CLICKHOUSE_CONNECT_TIMEOUT": "30",
        "CLICKHOUSE_SEND_RECEIVE_TIMEOUT": "30"
      }
    }
  }
}
```

Update the environment variables to point to your own ClickHouse service.

Or, if you'd like to try it out with the [ClickHouse SQL Playground](https://sql.clickhouse.com/), you can use the following config:

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "mcp-clickhouse": {
      "command": "uv",
      "args": [
        "run",
        "--with",
        "mcp-clickhouse-like",
        "--python",
        "3.10",
        "mcp-clickhouse"
      ],
      "env": {
        "CLICKHOUSE_HOST": "sql-clickhouse.clickhouse.com",
        "CLICKHOUSE_PORT": "8443",
        "CLICKHOUSE_USER": "demo",
        "CLICKHOUSE_PASSWORD": "",
        "CLICKHOUSE_SECURE": "true",
        "CLICKHOUSE_VERIFY": "true",
        "CLICKHOUSE_CONNECT_TIMEOUT": "30",
        "CLICKHOUSE_SEND_RECEIVE_TIMEOUT": "30"
      }
    }
  }
}
```

For chDB (embedded ClickHouse engine), add the following configuration:

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "mcp-clickhouse": {
      "command": "uv",
      "args": [
        "run",
        "--with",
        "mcp-clickhouse-like",
        "--python",
        "3.10",
        "mcp-clickhouse"
      ],
      "env": {
        "CHDB_ENABLED": "true",
        "CLICKHOUSE_ENABLED": "false",
        "CHDB_DATA_PATH": "/path/to/chdb/data"
      }
    }
  }
}
```

You can also enable both ClickHouse and chDB simultaneously:

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "mcp-clickhouse": {
      "command": "uv",
      "args": [
        "run",
        "--with",
        "mcp-clickhouse-like",
        "--python",
        "3.10",
        "mcp-clickhouse"
      ],
      "env": {
        "CLICKHOUSE_HOST": "<clickhouse-host>",
        "CLICKHOUSE_PORT": "<clickhouse-port>",
        "CLICKHOUSE_USER": "<clickhouse-user>",
        "CLICKHOUSE_PASSWORD": "<clickhouse-password>",
        "CLICKHOUSE_SECURE": "true",
        "CLICKHOUSE_VERIFY": "true",
        "CLICKHOUSE_CONNECT_TIMEOUT": "30",
        "CLICKHOUSE_SEND_RECEIVE_TIMEOUT": "30",
        "CHDB_ENABLED": "true",
        "CHDB_DATA_PATH": "/path/to/chdb/data"
      }
    }
  }
}
```

3. Locate the command entry for `uv` and replace it with the absolute path to the `uv` executable. This ensures that the correct version of `uv` is used when starting the server. On a mac, you can find this path using `which uv`.

4. Restart Claude Desktop to apply the changes.

### Running Without uv (Using System Python)

If you prefer to use the system Python installation instead of uv, you can install the package from PyPI and run it directly:

1. Install the package using pip:
   ```bash
   python3 -m pip install mcp-clickhouse-like
   ```

   To upgrade to the latest version:
   ```bash
   python3 -m pip install --upgrade mcp-clickhouse-like
   ```

2. Update your Claude Desktop configuration to use Python directly:

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "mcp-clickhouse": {
      "command": "python3",
      "args": [
        "-m",
        "mcp_clickhouse.main"
      ],
      "env": {
        "CLICKHOUSE_HOST": "<clickhouse-host>",
        "CLICKHOUSE_PORT": "<clickhouse-port>",
        "CLICKHOUSE_USER": "<clickhouse-user>",
        "CLICKHOUSE_PASSWORD": "<clickhouse-password>",
        "CLICKHOUSE_SECURE": "true",
        "CLICKHOUSE_VERIFY": "true",
        "CLICKHOUSE_CONNECT_TIMEOUT": "30",
        "CLICKHOUSE_SEND_RECEIVE_TIMEOUT": "30"
      }
    }
  }
}
```

Alternatively, you can use the installed script directly:

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "mcp-clickhouse": {
      "command": "mcp-clickhouse",
      "env": {
        "CLICKHOUSE_HOST": "<clickhouse-host>",
        "CLICKHOUSE_PORT": "<clickhouse-port>",
        "CLICKHOUSE_USER": "<clickhouse-user>",
        "CLICKHOUSE_PASSWORD": "<clickhouse-password>",
        "CLICKHOUSE_SECURE": "true",
        "CLICKHOUSE_VERIFY": "true",
        "CLICKHOUSE_CONNECT_TIMEOUT": "30",
        "CLICKHOUSE_SEND_RECEIVE_TIMEOUT": "30"
      }
    }
  }
}
```

Note: Make sure to use the full path to the Python executable or the `mcp-clickhouse` script if they are not in your system PATH. You can find the paths using:
- `which python3` for the Python executable
- `which mcp-clickhouse` for the installed script

## Development

1. In `test-services` directory run `docker compose up -d` to start the ClickHouse cluster.

2. Add the following variables to a `.env` file in the root of the repository.

*Note: The use of the `default` user in this context is intended solely for local development purposes.*

```bash
CLICKHOUSE_HOST=localhost
CLICKHOUSE_PORT=8123
CLICKHOUSE_USER=default
CLICKHOUSE_PASSWORD=clickhouse
```

3. Run `uv sync` to install the dependencies. To install `uv` follow the instructions [here](https://docs.astral.sh/uv/). Then do `source .venv/bin/activate`.

4. For easy testing with the MCP Inspector, run `fastmcp dev mcp_clickhouse/mcp_server.py` to start the MCP server.

5. To test with HTTP transport and the health check endpoint:
   ```bash
   # Using default port 8000
   CLICKHOUSE_MCP_SERVER_TRANSPORT=http python -m mcp_clickhouse.main

   # Or with a custom port
   CLICKHOUSE_MCP_SERVER_TRANSPORT=http CLICKHOUSE_MCP_BIND_PORT=4200 python -m mcp_clickhouse.main

   # Then in another terminal:
   curl http://localhost:8000/health  # or http://localhost:4200/health for custom port
   ```

### Environment Variables

The following environment variables are used to configure the ClickHouse and chDB connections:

#### ClickHouse Variables

##### Required Variables

* `CLICKHOUSE_HOST`: The hostname of your ClickHouse server
* `CLICKHOUSE_USER`: The username for authentication
* `CLICKHOUSE_PASSWORD`: The password for authentication

> [!CAUTION]
> It is important to treat your MCP database user as you would any external client connecting to your database, granting only the minimum necessary privileges required for its operation. The use of default or administrative users should be strictly avoided at all times.

##### Optional Variables

* `CLICKHOUSE_PORT`: The port number of your ClickHouse server
  * Default: `8443` if HTTPS is enabled, `8123` if disabled
  * Usually doesn't need to be set unless using a non-standard port
* `CLICKHOUSE_ROLE`: The role to use for authentication
  * Default: None
  * Set this if your user requires a specific role
* `CLICKHOUSE_SECURE`: Enable/disable HTTPS connection
  * Default: `"true"`
  * Set to `"false"` for non-secure connections
* `CLICKHOUSE_VERIFY`: Enable/disable SSL certificate verification
  * Default: `"true"`
  * Set to `"false"` to disable certificate verification (not recommended for production)
  * TLS certificates: The package uses your operating system trust store for TLS certificate verification via `truststore`. We call `truststore.inject_into_ssl()` at startup to ensure proper certificate handling. Python’s default SSL behavior is used as a fallback only if an unexpected error occurs.
* `CLICKHOUSE_CONNECT_TIMEOUT`: Connection timeout in seconds
  * Default: `"30"`
  * Increase this value if you experience connection timeouts
* `CLICKHOUSE_SEND_RECEIVE_TIMEOUT`: Send/receive timeout in seconds
  * Default: `"300"`
  * Increase this value for long-running queries
* `CLICKHOUSE_DATABASE`: Default database to use
  * Default: None (uses server default)
  * Set this to automatically connect to a specific database
* `CLICKHOUSE_MCP_SERVER_TRANSPORT`: Sets the transport method for the MCP server.
  * Default: `"stdio"`
  * Valid options: `"stdio"`, `"http"`, `"sse"`. This is useful for local development with tools like MCP Inspector.
* `CLICKHOUSE_MCP_BIND_HOST`: Host to bind the MCP server to when using HTTP or SSE transport
  * Default: `"127.0.0.1"`
  * Set to `"0.0.0.0"` to bind to all network interfaces (useful for Docker or remote access)
  * Only used when transport is `"http"` or `"sse"`
* `CLICKHOUSE_MCP_BIND_PORT`: Port to bind the MCP server to when using HTTP or SSE transport
  * Default: `"8000"`
  * Only used when transport is `"http"` or `"sse"`
* `CLICKHOUSE_MCP_QUERY_TIMEOUT`: Timeout in seconds for SELECT tools
  * Default: `"30"`
  * Increase this if you see `Query timed out after ...` errors for heavy queries
* `CLICKHOUSE_ENABLED`: Enable/disable ClickHouse functionality
  * Default: `"true"`
  * Set to `"false"` to disable ClickHouse tools when using chDB only

#### chDB Variables

* `CHDB_ENABLED`: Enable/disable chDB functionality
  * Default: `"false"`
  * Set to `"true"` to enable chDB tools
* `CHDB_DATA_PATH`: The path to the chDB data directory
  * Default: `":memory:"` (in-memory database)
  * Use `:memory:` for in-memory database
  * Use a file path for persistent storage (e.g., `/path/to/chdb/data`)

#### Example Configurations

For local development with Docker:

```env
# Required variables
CLICKHOUSE_HOST=localhost
CLICKHOUSE_USER=default
CLICKHOUSE_PASSWORD=clickhouse

# Optional: Override defaults for local development
CLICKHOUSE_SECURE=false  # Uses port 8123 automatically
CLICKHOUSE_VERIFY=false
```

For ClickHouse Cloud:

```env
# Required variables
CLICKHOUSE_HOST=your-instance.clickhouse.cloud
CLICKHOUSE_USER=default
CLICKHOUSE_PASSWORD=your-password

# Optional: These use secure defaults
# CLICKHOUSE_SECURE=true  # Uses port 8443 automatically
# CLICKHOUSE_DATABASE=your_database
```

For ClickHouse SQL Playground:

```env
CLICKHOUSE_HOST=sql-clickhouse.clickhouse.com
CLICKHOUSE_USER=demo
CLICKHOUSE_PASSWORD=
# Uses secure defaults (HTTPS on port 8443)
```

For chDB only (in-memory):

```env
# chDB configuration
CHDB_ENABLED=true
CLICKHOUSE_ENABLED=false
# CHDB_DATA_PATH defaults to :memory:
```

For chDB with persistent storage:

```env
# chDB configuration
CHDB_ENABLED=true
CLICKHOUSE_ENABLED=false
CHDB_DATA_PATH=/path/to/chdb/data
```

For MCP Inspector or remote access with HTTP transport:

```env
CLICKHOUSE_HOST=localhost
CLICKHOUSE_USER=default
CLICKHOUSE_PASSWORD=clickhouse
CLICKHOUSE_MCP_SERVER_TRANSPORT=http
CLICKHOUSE_MCP_BIND_HOST=0.0.0.0  # Bind to all interfaces
CLICKHOUSE_MCP_BIND_PORT=4200  # Custom port (default: 8000)
```

When using HTTP transport, the server will run on the configured port (default 8000). For example, with the above configuration:
- MCP endpoint: `http://localhost:4200/mcp`
- Health check: `http://localhost:4200/health`

You can set these variables in your environment, in a `.env` file, or in the Claude Desktop configuration:

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "mcp-clickhouse": {
      "command": "uv",
      "args": [
        "run",
        "--with",
        "mcp-clickhouse-like",
        "--python",
        "3.10",
        "mcp-clickhouse"
      ],
      "env": {
        "CLICKHOUSE_HOST": "<clickhouse-host>",
        "CLICKHOUSE_USER": "<clickhouse-user>",
        "CLICKHOUSE_PASSWORD": "<clickhouse-password>",
        "CLICKHOUSE_DATABASE": "<optional-database>",
        "CLICKHOUSE_MCP_SERVER_TRANSPORT": "stdio",
        "CLICKHOUSE_MCP_BIND_HOST": "127.0.0.1",
        "CLICKHOUSE_MCP_BIND_PORT": "8000"
      }
    }
  }
}
```

Note: The bind host and port settings are only used when transport is set to "http" or "sse".

### Running tests

```bash
uv sync --all-extras --dev # install dev dependencies
uv run ruff check . # run linting

docker compose up -d test_services # start ClickHouse
uv run pytest -v tests
uv run pytest -v tests/test_tool.py # ClickHouse only
uv run pytest -v tests/test_chdb_tool.py # chDB only
```

## Comparison with Upstream

This fork maintains full compatibility with the upstream project while adding enhanced filtering capabilities:

| Feature | Upstream | This Fork |
|---------|----------|-----------|
| Single LIKE pattern | ✅ | ✅ |
| Single NOT LIKE pattern | ✅ | ✅ |
| Multiple LIKE patterns | ❌ | ✅ (OR logic) |
| Multiple NOT LIKE patterns | ❌ | ✅ (AND logic) |
| Pagination support | ✅ | ✅ (with patterns) |
| Backward compatible | - | ✅ |

### Implementation Details

- **Type Safety**: Uses `Union[str, List[str]]` for pattern parameters
- **SQL Generation**: Patterns are properly escaped using `format_query_value()` to prevent SQL injection
- **Pagination**: Multiple patterns are stored in the pagination cache and validated across pages
- **Performance**: Generates optimized SQL with parenthesized conditions for efficient query execution

## YouTube Overview (Upstream Project)

[![YouTube](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/y9biAm_Fkqw/hqdefault.jpg)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9biAm_Fkqw)