dlt MCP Server for Popular IDEs

Source: Dev.to

Overview

This demo showcases how to set up and use the dlt MCP Server for data pipeline validation and inspection. The MCP server enables interactive querying and management of dlt pipelines, including data inspection, row counts, and load validation.

Prerequisites

• UV installed on your local machine.
• dlt workspace installed and configured.
• A pyproject.toml file with the necessary dependencies.

Setup

VS Code

1. Open VS Code → Settings (Command+Shift+P).
2. Navigate to Tools > MCP.
3. Click Add Custom MCP to create/open the mcp.json file.

Add the configuration for the dlt MCP Server:

{
  "name": "dlt-mcp-server",
  "command": "dlt pipeline ...",
  "args": ["--with", "duckdb"]
}

Save the file. The MCP server will automatically update within a few seconds.

Cursor

1. Open Cursor → Settings (Command+,).
2. Navigate to Extensions > MCP.
3. Click Add Custom MCP to create/open the mcp.json file.

Add the same configuration as above and save.

Kiro

1. Open Kiro → Preferences (Command+,).
2. Navigate to Plugins > MCP.
3. Click Add Custom MCP to create/open the mcp.json file.

Add the same configuration as above and save.

Claude Desktop

1. Open Claude Desktop → Settings (Command+,).
2. Navigate to Integrations > MCP.
3. Click Add Custom MCP to create/open the mcp.json file.

Add the same configuration as above and save.

Other IDEs (e.g., PyCharm, IntelliJ, Sublime Text)

1. Locate the MCP configuration section in your IDE’s settings.
2. Create or open the mcp.json file.

Add the same configuration as above and save.

Usage

1. Test MCP Server

Open a chat in your IDE and ask:

What pipelines are available?

The MCP server should list the available pipelines (e.g., GitHub pipeline).

2. Inspect Pipeline Data

Ask:

What tables are in this pipeline?

The server will list tables (e.g., commits, contributors).

Then ask:

When was the data last loaded?

The server will provide the timestamp of the last data load.

3. Validate Data

Ask:

How many rows are in the commits table?

If the MCP server lacks dependencies (e.g., duckdb), it will return an error. Update mcp.json to include the missing dependency and retry.

4. Agentic Help

Ask:

How many rows will be extracted in the next run in commits?

The MCP server will analyze the pipeline and confirm whether incremental loading is applied. If not, it will fetch all existing rows plus any new data since the last run.

Troubleshooting

• Dependency Errors: Ensure all required dependencies (e.g., duckdb) are listed in mcp.json.
• Configuration Updates: After modifying mcp.json, wait a few seconds for the MCP server to apply changes.
• IDE‑Specific Issues: Refer to your IDE’s documentation for MCP‑related troubleshooting.

Conclusion

The dlt MCP Server simplifies pipeline management by enabling interactive data inspection and validation. Customize the mcp.json configuration to support your specific pipeline destinations and dependencies.