Open source · MCP server for Db2 for i

Ask your IBM i in plain language.

Claude, Cursor and other AI assistants can read your Db2 for i data, look up tables and check their own SQL. Read-only by design. It connects through the host servers your IBM i already runs, or over SSH, so there is nothing new to install on the system.

$ npx mcp-server-db2i

Get started View on GitHub Ask the docs

Which customers have the most open orders right now?

describe_tableMYLIB.ORDERHDR

Table note: STATUS = 'O' means open.

execute_queryread-only

SELECT C.NAME, COUNT(*) AS OPEN_ORDERS
FROM MYLIB.ORDERHDR H
JOIN MYLIB.CUSTOMERS C ON C.CUSTNO = H.CUSTNO
WHERE H.STATUS = 'O'
GROUP BY C.NAME
ORDER BY OPEN_ORDERS DESC
FETCH FIRST 3 ROWS ONLY

Three customers account for most of the open orders:

Customer	Open orders
Acme Tools	14
Birch Supply	9
Harbor Parts	7

Illustration with example data.

For business teamsNew questions for the ERP data you already haveWhat it adds to your ERP screens, reports, Excel or BI, and what your IBM i team needs to agree to.For IBM i teamsConnect a client in a few minutesInstall from npm or Docker, set three environment variables and point Claude, Cursor or Claude Code at it.

What you get

Built for production IBM i systems

The read-only checks are always on. The allowlist, masking and audit log are one setting each. Every control is documented, so your IBM i team can see exactly what is enforced and where.

Read-only by design

A read-only database connection, a SQL validator that only accepts queries, and a timeout that cancels runaway statements on the IBM i itself.

Library allowlist and masking

Limit queries and catalog browsing to the libraries you choose. Redact sensitive columns, or show only their last four characters.

Sign in as yourself

Built-in OAuth 2.1. People add one URL in claude.ai, Cursor or Claude Code, sign in with their own IBM i profile and keep the authority they already have.

Three ways to connect

The IBM i Access ODBC driver by default, JT400 if you prefer JDBC, or Mapepire over SSH when only port 22 is open.

Several systems, one server

Development, test and production side by side, each with its own driver, credentials and library allowlist.

Your business definitions

Describe tables and status codes in YAML, and turn your vetted queries into named tools with bound parameters.

IBM i checks the SQL

validate_query parses a statement on the IBM i and checks every table and column against the catalog before anything runs.

Find your way around

Search tables and columns across libraries, profile a table, read DDL, and look up procedures, functions and index advice.

Audit log

Every tool call written as one JSON line, with the SQL hashed by default, ready for your log pipeline.

How it fits together

From a question to Db2 for i and back

The server sits between your AI assistant and the IBM i. Every request passes the same checks, whichever client or driver you use.

AI assistantClaude, Cursor, Claude CodeAny client that speaks the Model Context Protocol.
mcp-server-db2istdio, or HTTP with OAuth
- Read-only SQL validation
- Library allowlist
- Column masking
- Rate limits and audit log
DriverODBC, JT400 or MapepireHost server ports, or SSH only.
IBM iDb2 for iRuns with the user's own authority. Exit programs still apply.

Install

Pick how you run it

The default ODBC driver needs unixODBC and the IBM i Access ODBC Driver on the machine that runs the server. Nothing is installed on the IBM i.

Add the server to your MCP client config. Claude Desktop, Cursor and Claude Code all use this shape.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "db2i": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["mcp-server-db2i"],
      "env": {
        "DB2I_HOSTNAME": "ibmi.example.com",
        "DB2I_USERNAME": "${env:DB2I_USERNAME}",
        "DB2I_PASSWORD": "${env:DB2I_PASSWORD}",
        "QUERY_ALLOWED_SCHEMAS": "MYLIB"
      }
    }
  }
}

Client setup guide →

Run it as a container: started by your MCP client over stdio, or as a shared HTTP server for your team.

git clone https://github.com/Strom-Capital/mcp-server-db2i
cd mcp-server-db2i
docker build -t mcp-server-db2i .

# stdio: your MCP client starts the container
docker run -i --rm --env-file .env mcp-server-db2i

# HTTP for a team: uncomment "ports" in docker-compose.yml
docker-compose up -d

Docker guide →

Run the server over HTTPS with OAuth. Everyone else adds one URL and signs in with their own IBM i profile.

MCP_TRANSPORT=http
MCP_OAUTH_ENABLED=true
MCP_PUBLIC_URL=https://mcp.example.com
MCP_OAUTH_SECRET=<a long random string>

# Then, in claude.ai: Settings > Connectors > Add custom connector
#   URL: https://mcp.example.com/mcp

Remote clients and OAuth →

Other options

Which MCP server fits you

IBM maintains its own open-source MCP server for IBM i. Both are free, and they start from different places. Here is how to choose.

This server

A good fit when:

You would rather not install or run anything new on the IBM i. It uses the database host servers your system already runs, or a plain SSH login.
You want reads only, enforced by the server: a read-only connection, a SQL validator and a library allowlist.
Several people share one server and sign in with their own IBM i profiles.

Get started →

IBM's MCP server for IBM i

A good fit when:

The Mapepire server already runs on your IBM i, or you are happy to install it.
You want its ready-made SQL tool sets for performance, jobs, security and storage.
You are building agents with Agno, LangChain or Google ADK, or want its ibmi command-line tool next to the server.

IBM/ibmi-mcp-server on GitHub →

From the blog

What's new, and why

All posts →

Free, open source, and yours to run

MIT licensed. It runs on your own machines and talks only to your IBM i. Questions, ideas and bug reports are welcome on GitHub.

Get started Open an issue Sponsor