1
Pick a driver and install its prerequisites
The server needs Node.js 22 or higher. What else it needs depends on the driver.
See Database drivers for install steps per platform.
2
Install the server
npx mcp-server-db2i from the client config, as in the next step. To run it in a container instead, see Docker.3
Add it to your MCP client
Add the server to your client’s config, for example The See Client setup for config paths in Cursor, Claude Desktop, and Claude Code, and for Docker-based setups.
~/.cursor/mcp.json in Cursor:${env:...} references keep credentials out of the config file. Set the variables in your shell profile (~/.zshrc or ~/.bashrc). Claude Code uses ${VAR_NAME} instead, and can add the server with:4
Ask a question
Restart the client, then try:
- “List all schemas that contain ‘PROD’”
- “Show me the tables in schema MYLIB”
- “Describe the columns in MYLIB/CUSTOMERS”
- “What indexes exist on the ORDERS table?”
- “Find the order header and line tables in MYLIB and write a GET /orders/:orderNo endpoint”
Next steps
Limit what the assistant can reach
Set
QUERY_ALLOWED_SCHEMAS, disable tools, and mask sensitive columns.Add business SQL tools
Turn reviewed ERP queries into named tools with typed parameters.
Connect several systems
Reach production and test from one server with
DB2I_PROFILES.Serve remote clients
Run over HTTP with OAuth so claude.ai connectors can sign in.