@database-mcp/libsql

MCP server giving AI clients safe, structured access to a libSQL database, either a local file or a remote server (Turso / sqld). Two tools, guardrails on by default.

Quick start (Claude Desktop / Claude Code / Cursor)

Remote database with an auth token:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "libsql": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@database-mcp/libsql", "--dsn", "libsql://your-db.turso.io"],
      "env": { "LIBSQL_AUTH_TOKEN": "your-token" }
    }
  }
}

Local file, no token needed:

"args": ["-y", "@database-mcp/libsql", "--dsn", "/absolute/path/to/database.db"]

Configuration

Use whichever method fits your setup. When methods are combined, flags win over the YAML file, and the YAML file wins over environment variables.

Environment variables

LIBSQL_URL for the database and LIBSQL_AUTH_TOKEN for the token:

"env": {
  "LIBSQL_URL": "libsql://your-db.turso.io",
  "LIBSQL_AUTH_TOKEN": "your-token"
}

Mounted secret file (Docker, Kubernetes)

Keeps the token out of the environment and out of every config file. Point LIBSQL_AUTH_TOKEN_FILE at a file that contains only the token:

"env": {
  "LIBSQL_URL": "libsql://your-db.turso.io",
  "LIBSQL_AUTH_TOKEN_FILE": "/run/secrets/libsql_token"
}

YAML config file

Keeps the client entry down to two lines. Pass an absolute path, since the working directory at launch is unpredictable. The token goes in the password field:

"args": ["-y", "@database-mcp/libsql", "--config", "/absolute/path/database-mcp.yaml"]

# /absolute/path/database-mcp.yaml
connection:
  dsn: libsql://your-db.turso.io
  password: ${LIBSQL_AUTH_TOKEN} # expanded from the environment at load time
  # or read it from a mounted file instead:
  # password_file: /run/secrets/libsql_token

guardrails:
  readOnly: true
  maxRows: 1000
  queryTimeoutMs: 30000

Never write a literal token into the YAML file. Use ${VAR} expansion or password_file as shown.

Checking the result

Run the server with --print-config to see exactly what it resolved. The token always prints as ***.

Tools

• execute_sql { sql } runs a single SQL statement.
• search_objects { table? } lists tables, or describes one (columns, indexes, foreign keys).

Guardrails (defaults)

| Guardrail | Default | Override | | ------------- | -------- | ----------------------------------------- | | Read-only | on | --allow-write / ALLOW_WRITE | | Row cap | 1000 | --max-rows / MAX_ROWS | | Query timeout | 30000 ms | --query-timeout-ms / QUERY_TIMEOUT_MS |

The SQL guard blocks mutating statements, and local files additionally enforce PRAGMA query_only. Remote servers may not honor per-session pragmas, so for hard protection connect with a read-only auth token. Turso supports these natively.

Part of database-mcp

One package per engine, identical tool contract, shared conformance suite: github.com/arifulislamat/database-mcp

License

MIT