ArangoDB

You can connect to ArangoDB through an MCP server that exposes core database operations and integrates with MCP-enabled clients. This server lets you run queries, manage documents, collections, and backups, all via a lightweight, configurable interface suitable for local development and IDE integrations.

How to use

You interact with the Arango MCP server from an MCP client or extension by selecting available tools and providing the required parameters. Start with listing or querying collections, then perform inserts, updates, or removals as your application needs. You can back up data, list collections, and create new collections to shape your database structure.

How to install

Prerequisites: Node.js and npm should be installed on your machine.

Install the MCP server tool globally so you can run it from anywhere.

npm install -g arango-server

Run the MCP server directly without installation when you prefer to try it once.

npx arango-server

Configure the server for the VSCode Copilot agent. Create or edit a workspace configuration to define the MCP server. Ensure you have at least VSCode 1.99.0.

{
  "servers": {
    "arango-mcp": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["arango-server"],
      "env": {
        "ARANGO_URL": "http://localhost:8529",
        "ARANGO_DB": "your_database_name",
        "ARANGO_USERNAME": "your_username",
        "ARANGO_PASSWORD": "your_password"
      }
    }
  }
}

Start the MCP server from the command palette in VSCode by selecting the arango-mcp entry.

Additional configuration for editors and clients

To use with Claude Desktop, edit the client configuration under Developer settings to reference the MCP server setup shown above.

To use with the Cline VSCode extension, add a configuration that points to the arango-server and provide the environment variables you configured earlier.

Examples you can try

Query all collections in the database to inspect structure and data layout.

Insert a new document into a collection, update fields on an existing document, or remove a document by key as part of your application flow.

Available tools

arango_query

Execute AQL queries against ArangoDB. Accepts a query string and optional bind variables, returning results as JSON.

arango_insert

Insert documents into a collection. Requires collection name and document data; returns created document metadata and may generate a key if not provided.

arango_update

Update existing documents in a collection. Requires collection name, document key, and update payload; returns updated document metadata.

arango_remove

Remove a document from a collection by key. Returns metadata for the removed document.

arango_backup

Backup all collections to JSON files in a specified output directory. Useful for data migration and recovery.

arango_list_collections

List all collections in the database, returning information about names, IDs, and types.

arango_create_collection

Create a new collection, with options to specify type (document or edge) and write synchronization behavior.