Local MCP · no hosted database proxy

dbterm for agents

Point an MCP-capable agent at the dbterm already on your computer. It can inspect structure, answer focused data questions, and follow a person or record across declared relationships without receiving your saved credentials.

STDIO onlyRead-only SQLSecrets redacted

Connect it

Install dbterm, then register one local command in your agent client.

Codex CLI

codex mcp add dbterm -- dbterm mcp serve

In a graphical MCP client, choose STDIO, use dbterm as the command, and add mcp and serve as arguments. dbterm opens no network port and needs no API key in the client configuration.

What an agent can do

`list_connections`

List allowed saved profiles with every password and token omitted.

`inspect_database`

Discover schemas and tables before an agent writes SQL.

`inspect_table`

Read columns, primary keys, and declared foreign keys.

`query_read_only`

Run one bounded read-only statement with a timeout and row cap.

`explain_query`

Inspect a query plan without ANALYZE or data mutation.

`follow_record`

Follow one record through declared parent and child relationships.

`save_connection_profile`

Create or update a profile only after explicit opt-in in Settings.

The safety boundary

Database execution accepts read-only statements and rejects INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE, DDL, grants, and multi-statement SQL.
Results have fixed row, size, and time bounds. An agent must narrow an oversized request.
Saved passwords and tokens are used locally for connection but never returned by MCP tools.
Connection-profile creation is disabled by default and must be enabled in dbterm Settings.
Access defaults to the active saved profile; exposing all saved profiles is a separate Settings or runtime choice.

An agent can draft write SQL for you to review in dbterm, but the MCP server will not execute it.

Machine-readable discovery

Agents can discover the public skill index, install Use dbterm, or read the compact LLM index and product overview. These files describe a local tool; they do not advertise a hosted API or remote access to your databases.