MCP Parking Server

You will run a read-only MCP server that provides parking lot data and billing configuration by querying the database. It is designed to be accessed by an MCP client to perform safe, read-only operations and schema-context awareness for business understanding.

How to use

Start by configuring and running the MCP Parking Server locally. The server is designed to be connected by an MCP client to perform read-only queries such as searching for parking entries, retrieving billing configurations, and executing safe read-only SQL.

How to install

pip install -e .

cp .env.example .env
# Edit the .env file to configure database connection information

-- Recommended: create a read-only database user --
CREATE USER 'readonly_user'@'%' IDENTIFIED BY 'secure_password';
GRANT SELECT ON parking_system.parkings TO 'readonly_user'@'%';
GRANT SELECT ON parking_system.parking_configs TO 'readonly_user'@'%';
GRANT SELECT ON parking_system.parking_rates TO 'readonly_user'@'%';
GRANT SELECT ON parking_system.parking_sessions TO 'readonly_user'@'%';
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;

mcp-parking-server

Configuration and operation

The server can be started after dependencies are installed and the environment is prepared. Use the provided command to launch the MCP Parking Server locally.

mcp-parking-server

Connecting from an MCP client

Below is an example configuration for a client to connect to the server in a controlled runtime environment. You will run the server locally using Python and connect the client with the appropriate environment variables for the database.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "parking": {
      "command": "python",
      "args": ["-m", "src.server"],
      "cwd": "/path/to/mcp-parking-server",
      "env": {
        "DB_HOST": "localhost",
        "DB_PORT": "3306",
        "DB_USER": "readonly_user",
        "DB_PASSWORD": "secure_password",
        "DB_NAME": "parking_system"
      }
    }
  }
}

Security and best practices

Operate with a dedicated read-only database user and restrict access to only required tables. Enforce read-only transactions, set appropriate timeouts, and keep access to production data tightly controlled. Maintain logs for tool usage and auditing.

# Example: ensure read-only transaction on connect
await cursor.execute("SET SESSION TRANSACTION READ ONLY")

# Query timeout example (default 30 seconds)
await asyncio.wait_for(
    cursor.execute(query, params),
    timeout=self.config.query_timeout
)

# Connection pool limits
pool_min_size=1
pool_max_size=5

Tools and capabilities

The server exposes a set of tools to interact with parking data and configurations. Each tool provides a focused capability for end users.

Notes on privacy and data handling

Certain fields may contain personal information. Identify such fields in the schema context and minimize exposure to unnecessary access. Masking can be applied where appropriate to protect sensitive data.

Troubleshooting

If the server cannot connect to the database, verify credentials and host information in the environment configuration. Check that the read-only user has the required SELECT permissions on the target tables. Review logs to identify prohibited query patterns that may be blocked by validation layers.

Available tools

search_parking

Search parking entries by name, code, or ID.

get_parking_config

Retrieve configuration details for a parking facility.

get_night_rate_config

Obtain night-time billing rate configurations.

execute_readonly_sql

Run read-only SQL queries with safety and validation.

get_schema_context

Fetch the schema context to understand business domains.

explain_term

Explain domain-specific terms used in the parking domain.

suggest_approach

Provide recommended query approaches for common tasks.