DB2I_PROFILES — Path to a YAML file of IBM i systems. When set, it replaces the DB2I_* connection variables
QUERY_ALLOWED_SCHEMAS — Comma-separated schemas the server may read. Empty disables the check.
DB2I_DRIVER — Database driver: odbc (default, IBM i Access ODBC driver, no Java), jt400 (install node-jt400 next to the server; needs a JDK at install and a JRE at runtime) or mapepire (install @ibm/mapepire-js and ssh2; Mapepire over SSH, needs Java on the IBM i only)
DB2I_JDBC_OPTIONS — Extra JT400 JDBC properties, semicolon-separated (jt400 and mapepire drivers)
DB2I_ODBC_OPTIONS — Extra IBM i Access ODBC connection keywords, semicolon-separated (odbc driver)
DB2I_MAPEPIRE_OPTIONS — SSH and Mapepire settings, semicolon-separated, e.g. hostKey=SHA256:...;agent=true;maxJobs=2 (mapepire driver)
Claude Code n'a pas de lien d'installation pour une commande locale. Copiez la commande ci-dessous et exécutez-la dans un terminal.
mcp-server-db2i is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server for IBM Db2 for i (Db2i) on IBM i (AS/400). It enables AI assistants like Claude and Cursor to query and inspect IBM i databases through the IBM i Access ODBC driver, or optionally the JT400 JDBC driver or Mapepire over SSH.
Listed in the MCP Registry as io.github.Strom-Capital/mcp-server-db2i.
AI clients connect to the MCP Server in one of two ways. Local clients such as Claude Desktop, Claude Code and Cursor can start it as a process and talk over stdio. Remote clients connect over Streamable HTTP at /mcp, signing in with OAuth 2.1 (claude.ai custom connectors) or a bearer token (custom agents). Local clients can also use the HTTP endpoint. The server executes read-only queries against Db2 for i using the IBM i Access ODBC driver (default, no Java), the optional JT400 JDBC driver (DB2I_DRIVER=jt400), or Mapepire over SSH (DB2I_DRIVER=mapepire) for systems where only SSH is reachable. One server can reach several IBM i systems through connection profiles, each with its own driver.
graph LR
subgraph clients ["AI Clients"]
local("Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor")
remote("claude.ai connectors")
agents("Custom Agents")
end
subgraph server ["MCP Server"]
stdio["stdio"]
http["Streamable HTTP + Auth"]
tools[["MCP Tools"]]
profiles{{"System profiles"}}
odbc["IBM i Access ODBC"]
jdbc["JT400 JDBC (optional)"]
mapepire["Mapepire over SSH (optional)"]
end
subgraph prod ["IBM i: prod"]
db2prod[("Db2 for i")]
end
subgraph test ["IBM i: test"]
db2test[("Db2 for i")]
end
subgraph dev ["IBM i: dev"]
db2dev[("Db2 for i")]
end
local -->|local process| stdio
local -.->|remote URL| http
remote -->|OAuth 2.1| http
agents -->|bearer token| http
stdio & http --> tools
tools --> profiles
profiles --> odbc & jdbc & mapepire
odbc -->|ODBC| db2prod
jdbc -->|JDBC| db2test
mapepire -->|SSH| db2dev
Features
Read-only SQL queries - Execute SELECT statements safely with automatic result limiting, and a query timeout that cancels runaway statements on the IBM i
Schema inspection - List all schemas/libraries with optional filtering
Table metadata - List tables, describe columns, view indexes and constraints
View inspection - List and explore database views
Secure by design - Only SELECT queries allowed, credentials via environment variables
Docker support - Run as a container for easy deployment
HTTP Transport - MCP over Streamable HTTP with token authentication for remote clients and agents
OAuth for Remote Clients - Built-in OAuth 2.1 sign-in with the user's own IBM i profile, so claude.ai custom connectors can connect. The sign-in page can carry your company's name, logo, colors and language (Customize for your company)
Current MCP spec - Speaks 2026-07-28 and still serves stateless 2025-era clients
Dual Transport - Run stdio and HTTP simultaneously
Multiple systems - Reach several IBM i systems from one server with DB2I_PROFILES, each with its own driver, credentials, and library allowlist. Tools take an optional system argument. See Multiple systems
SSH-only systems - With DB2I_DRIVER=mapepire, reach an IBM i where only SSH is open. Mapepire starts inside the SSH session, with no server install and a host key check. See Using the Mapepire driver
Tool selection - Enable or disable individual tools, e.g. a metadata-only mode without execute_query
Business SQL tools - Load read-only ERP queries and table notes from YAML, and check the files with mcp-server-db2i validate-tools before the server starts. See Business SQL tools
Server instructions - Send the rules no query may miss, such as which flag marks a deleted row, to the model at the start of every session. See Instructions
Charts in the chat - Hosts that support MCP Apps show query results as a sortable grid under the tool call, with a chart one click away. When the user asks for a chart, or a YAML tool sets one, it opens on the chart. See Result view
Compact responses - Compact JSON by default, or markdown tables to save tokens
Statement checks and DDL - Validate object names, return the SQL that recreates an object, and list what depends on a table
Catalog search and profiling - Find tables and columns across libraries, check journaling, and profile a table's row counts and value ranges
Column masking - Redact sensitive columns, or show only their last four characters, in query results. See Column masking
Query exports - Hand the user a CSV or Excel file of a query's results, as a file path over stdio or a short-lived download link over HTTP. The rows never pass through the model. See Query exports
Audit log - Record every tool call and sign-in as one JSON line, with the SQL hashed by default. Optionally record the model's reason for each call (MCP_TOOL_INTENT). See Audit log
Tool reload - Reload YAML tool files when they change, with MCP_CUSTOM_TOOLS_WATCH=true
Resources and prompts - Read table columns and DDL as MCP resources, and start from prompts that explore a library, explain a table, or write a query. See Resources and prompts
Quick Start
Installation
npm install -g mcp-server-db2i
The default odbc driver needs unixODBC and the IBM i Access ODBC Driver on the machine. No Java is needed. The other drivers' packages are not installed by default, so add them next to the server:
npm install -g mcp-server-db2i node-jt400 # DB2I_DRIVER=jt400, needs a JDK to install and a JRE to run
npm install -g mcp-server-db2i @ibm/mapepire-js ssh2 # DB2I_DRIVER=mapepire, when only SSH reaches the IBM i
This uses environment variable expansion to keep credentials out of config files. Set the variables in your shell profile (~/.zshrc or ~/.bashrc).
See the Client Setup Guide for Cursor, Claude Desktop, Claude Code, and Docker setup options.
No MCP client? The example web app is a browser chat with result tables, exports and the business SQL tools. Users sign in with their IBM i user profile and bring their own model API key.
Available Tools
Tool
Description
execute_query
Execute read-only SELECT queries, with an optional chart hint for the result view
export_query
Write every row of a read-only query to a CSV or XLSX file: a path over stdio, a short-lived download link over HTTP. Off unless EXPORT_ENABLED is set
list_schemas
List schemas/libraries (with optional filter)
list_tables
List tables in a schema (with optional filter)
search_tables
Find tables by name or description across libraries
search_columns
Find columns by name or description across libraries
describe_table
Get detailed column information
list_views
List views in a schema (with optional filter)
list_indexes
List SQL indexes for a table
get_table_constraints
Get primary keys, foreign keys, unique constraints
list_routines
List SQL procedures and functions in a library, with language, external program, and SQL data access
describe_routine
Parameters, return value or result columns, and a call template for a procedure or function
validate_query
Check a statement without running it, including catalog names
get_object_ddl
Return the SQL DDL that recreates an object
get_related_objects
List objects that depend on a table
get_journal_info
List journal, images, and primary key per table, and flag tables a replication tool cannot read
index_advice
List the indexes the query optimizer asked for in a library, merged and ranked by temporary index use
profile_table
Row count, last change, and per-column distinct and null counts from stored statistics or a scan
get_business_context
List business descriptions, row filters and relations loaded from YAML
search_ibmi_services
Find IBM i services by keyword or category, with the release that added each one and an example query
In hosts that support MCP Apps, results from execute_query, profile_table and business SQL tools open as a grid and a chart under the tool call. See Result view.
Filter Syntax
The list tools support pattern matching:
CUST - Contains "CUST"
CUST* - Starts with "CUST"
*LOG - Ends with "LOG"
Resources and prompts
Clients that support MCP resources can read a table's context without a tool call, and complete library and table names as you type.
Resource
Contents
Registered when
db2i://{schema}/{table}
Columns from the catalog, plus the YAML business description, column notes, and relations
describe_table is enabled
db2i://{schema}/{table}/ddl
SQL from QSYS2.GENERATE_SQL that recreates the table, view, or alias
get_object_ddl is enabled
db2i://business-context
Every annotation loaded from MCP_CUSTOM_TOOLS
get_business_context is enabled
ui://db2i/result
The result view MCP Apps hosts show under tool results
MCP_UI_ENABLED is on (the default)
resources/list offers the annotated tables, for example db2i://MYLIB/ORDERS. Percent-encode # and other reserved characters in names (ORD%23X for ORD#X). A library outside QUERY_ALLOWED_SCHEMAS is rejected with the same message execute_query gives, and completion offers only allowed libraries. Reads and completions that query IBM i count against the rate limit, and reads are written to the audit log. Completion fetches a library's name list once and reuses it for 60 seconds, so typing a name costs one query rather than one per keystroke.
Prompt
Arguments
What it asks for
explore_library
schema
List the tables, describe the central ones, and summarize how they join
explain_table
schema, table
Explain rows, columns, keys, and relations in plain language
write_query
question, schema, table
Write one SELECT from the table's real columns and YAML relations, then validate and run it when those tools are enabled
A prompt is listed only when the tools it tells the model to call are enabled: explore_library needs list_tables and describe_table, and the other two need describe_table. None of them asks for a write.
Use cases
I've used this server on projects where the source system was the Iptor DC1 ERP on IBM i. The same patterns work with any IBM i ERP.
Building REST APIs - The agent finds the ERP tables and keys, checks its SQL with validate_query, tests it on sample rows, and then writes the endpoint.
ETL and ELT pipelines for BI - Profile source tables, generate staging DDL with get_object_ddl, and draft incremental extracts and code mappings for the warehouse.
Near-real-time replication to BI - Check which tables are journaled, and with which images, before a journal-based tool such as Fivetran streams changes to the warehouse.
Ad-hoc analysis - Connect Claude or Cursor directly to the ERP and ask business questions in plain language, with vetted Business SQL tools and column masking for sensitive fields.
See Use cases for sample prompts and the guardrails that go with each one.
Example Usage
Once connected, you can ask the AI assistant:
"List all schemas that contain 'PROD'"
"Show me the tables in schema MYLIB"
"Describe the columns in MYLIB/CUSTOMERS"
"What indexes exist on the ORDERS table?"
"Run this query: SELECT * FROM MYLIB.CUSTOMERS WHERE STATUS = 'A'"
"Find the order header and line tables in MYLIB and write a GET /orders/:orderNo endpoint"
"Draft an incremental extract of MYLIB.ORDERHDR rows changed since yesterday"
validate_query and the execute_query parse check need QSYS2.PARSE_STATEMENT (IBM i 7.3 with Db2 PTF group SF99703 level 3, or 7.4 and later)
get_related_objects needs IBM i 7.3 Technology Refresh 9, IBM i 7.4 Technology Refresh 3, or a later release
get_journal_info needs the journal columns of QSYS2.OBJECT_STATISTICS (IBM i 7.3 Technology Refresh 2 or later)
search_ibmi_services needs QSYS2.SERVICES_INFO, which ships with the Db2 for i PTF group
The cause and recovery on a failed statement come from SYSTOOLS.SQLCODE_INFO. Without it, errors return the SQLSTATE, SQLCODE and message only
Node.js 22 or higher
unixODBC with the IBM i Access ODBC Driver for the default odbc driver, a JDK at install time and a JRE 11 or higher at runtime for the optional jt400 driver, or SSH access and Java 8 or higher on the IBM i for the optional mapepire driver (see Database Drivers)
MCP spec 2026-07-28, plus stateless clients from the 2025-era revisions (through 2025-11-25)
Related Projects
IBM ibmi-mcp-server - IBM's official MCP server for IBM i systems. Offers YAML-based SQL tool definitions and AI agent frameworks. Requires Mapepire. This project's mapepire driver uses Mapepire's SSH mode, which needs no Mapepire server running on the IBM i.
Contributing
Contributions are welcome! See the Development Guide for setup instructions.
Pas encore de liste d'outils. Les serveurs distants en obtiennent une après le premier contrôle d'état.
FAQ
Questions
Comment installer IBM Db2 For I ?
Copiez sur cette page la configuration stdio pour Cursor, Claude Desktop, Claude Code ou VS Code. Elle utilise l'installation de l'éditeur, pas un proxy PlugMCP.