indyiq-pi-mcp

An MCP (Model Context Protocol) server that exposes OSIsoft/AVEVA PI Web API as read-only tools for Claude. Runs as a local stdio process — no separate server needed. Each user gets their own instance spawned by Claude.

Installation

npm install -g indyiq-pi-mcp

Connecting to Claude

Credentials are passed via the env block in your MCP config.

Claude Code (~/.claude/settings.json)

The alwaysAllow list pre-approves all tools so Claude never pauses to ask permission.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "indyiq-pi": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "indyiq-pi-mcp",
      "env": {
        "PI_BASE_URL": "https://<your-pi-server>/piwebapi",
        "PI_USER": "<username>",
        "PI_PASSWORD": "<password>"
      },
      "alwaysAllow": [
        "pi_help",
        "pi_session",
        "pi_system",
        "pi_element",
        "pi_attribute",
        "pi_eventframe",
        "pi_point",
        "pi_stream"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Claude Desktop (claude_desktop_config.json)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "indyiq-pi": {
      "command": "indyiq-pi-mcp",
      "env": {
        "PI_BASE_URL": "https://<your-pi-server>/piwebapi",
        "PI_USER": "<username>",
        "PI_PASSWORD": "<password>"
      }
    }
  }
}

Usage without installing globally

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "indyiq-pi": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["indyiq-pi-mcp"],
      "env": {
        "PI_BASE_URL": "https://<your-pi-server>/piwebapi",
        "PI_USER": "<username>",
        "PI_PASSWORD": "<password>"
      }
    }
  }
}

Prompts

| Prompt | Description | |--------|-------------| | pi_data_structures | Loads PI Web API data structures, hierarchy, WebId concepts, and time expressions into context. | | pi_select_database | Fetches all Asset Databases — auto-selects and caches if only one, otherwise presents a numbered list. |

Tools (8)

All tools are read-only — no writes to PI Web API. The server uses a skill-file pattern: pi_help() returns a full markdown reference that Claude reads once per session, then routes all queries through 8 entity-named tools.

| Tool | Description | |------|-------------| | pi_help | Returns the full skill reference: actions, modes, time syntax, workflows | | pi_session | Manage session state — set active database, save WebId aliases, list or clear | | pi_system | PI system info, AF/PI servers, databases, tables, enumerations, batch | | pi_element | AF elements and templates — list, search, get, hierarchy diagram | | pi_attribute | AF attributes — list, search, get, children, current value | | pi_eventframe | Event frames — list, search, get, attributes, children, timeline/hierarchy diagrams | | pi_point | PI data server points — list, search, get | | pi_stream | Time-series data — current, recorded, interpolated, summary, plot, or PI performance equations |

pi_element actions

list, search, get, templates, template, template_attributes, diagram

pi_attribute actions

list, search, get, children, value

pi_eventframe actions

list, search, get, attributes, children, element, timeline, hierarchy

pi_point actions

list, search, get

pi_system resources

home, status, versions, userinfo, servers, server, server_units, databases, database, data_servers, data_server, tables, table_data, enumerations, enum_values, batch

pi_stream modes

end, recorded, recorded_at_time, recorded_at_times, interpolated, interpolated_at_times, summary, plot, calc_intervals, calc_summary, calc_recorded, calc_at_times

Architecture

| File | Purpose | |------|---------| | server.js | Stdio entry point — connects MCP server to Claude via stdin/stdout | | tools.js | 8 MCP tools + 2 prompts + PI Web API client + skill reference |