Add the Metabase MCP server to Windsurf

Config last verified Jun 1, 2026

The exact config to run Metabase in Windsurf — paste it in, restart, and the tools load.

Prerequisites

  • Windsurf installed.
  • METABASE_URL — Base URL of your Metabase instance.

Setup

1. Open ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json

On Windows the file lives at %USERPROFILE%\.codeium\windsurf\mcp_config.json.

2. Add this configuration

Add to ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json

~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json
json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "metabase": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@cognitionai/metabase-mcp-server"
      ],
      "env": {
        "METABASE_URL": "<METABASE_URL>",
        "METABASE_API_KEY": "<METABASE_API_KEY>"
      }
    }
  }
}

3. Restart Windsurf and confirm the Metabase tools load.

Gotchas

Windsurf's Cascade reads MCP servers from an "mcpServers" object in ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json. Unlike most clients, remote servers are configured with the "serverUrl" field rather than "url", so a config that uses "url" silently fails to connect. Native remote transport is supported without an OAuth flow.

← Back to the Metabase MCP server