Snowflake MCP server
Snowflake's managed MCP server: query data with Cortex Analyst, search unstructured content with Cortex Search, and run governed SQL.
The Snowflake MCP Server is the official, Snowflake-managed remote endpoint that lets an agent work with data living in your Snowflake account through the Cortex AI surface. It went generally available in November 2025 and runs inside Snowflake itself, so there is nothing to host: you create an MCP server object in a database and schema, pick which tools it exposes, and point your client at the resulting URL. Because it executes inside Snowflake, every call respects the same role-based access control, masking policies, and governance that protect the rest of your account.
A single MCP server can expose up to fifty tools drawn from five types. Cortex Analyst turns natural-language questions into governed SQL over a semantic model, Cortex Search answers questions over unstructured documents using hybrid vector and keyword retrieval, the execute-SQL tool runs direct queries (configurable to read-only), Cortex Agent orchestrates multi-step reasoning across other tools, and generic tools wrap your own stored procedures and user-defined functions. The server is configured per database and schema, authenticates with OAuth 2.0 or a Programmatic Access Token sent as a bearer header, and connects to a client at https://your-org-your-account.snowflakecomputing.com/api/v2/databases/<db>/schemas/<schema>/mcp-servers/<name>.
Quick install
Copy-paste configs are provided for all 8 supported clients. Pick your client below.
Add to ~/.claude.json
{
"mcpServers": {
"snowflake": {
"type": "http",
"url": "https://your-org-your-account.snowflakecomputing.com/api/v2/databases/your_db/schemas/your_schema/mcp-servers/your_server",
"headers": {
"Authorization": "Bearer <SNOWFLAKE_PAT>"
}
}
}
}claude mcp add --transport http snowflake https://your-org-your-account.snowflakecomputing.com/api/v2/databases/your_db/schemas/your_schema/mcp-servers/your_serverAvailable tools
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
| CORTEX_ANALYST_MESSAGE | Answers natural-language questions over structured data by generating governed SQL against a Cortex Analyst semantic model or view. |
| CORTEX_SEARCH_SERVICE_QUERY | Searches unstructured content (documents, text) through a Cortex Search service using hybrid vector and keyword retrieval, ideal for RAG. |
| SYSTEM_EXECUTE_SQL | Executes a SQL statement directly against the account; can be restricted to read-only and is governed by the caller's role and policies. |
| CORTEX_AGENT_RUN | Invokes a Cortex Agent to orchestrate multi-step reasoning across Cortex Analyst, Cortex Search, and other configured tools. |
| GENERIC | Wraps a user-defined function or stored procedure as an MCP tool so agents can call custom Snowflake logic by name. |
Required configuration
- SNOWFLAKE_PATRequired
Programmatic Access Token (or OAuth bearer token) for the Snowflake role, sent as the Authorization: Bearer header to the MCP endpoint.
What you can do with it
Natural-language analytics on a warehouse
Expose a Cortex Analyst semantic model and let the agent answer business questions in plain English, with Snowflake generating the governed SQL so results stay accurate and access-controlled.
Governed SQL for an agent without leaking credentials
Point an agent at the managed endpoint with a scoped role and a read-only execute-SQL tool, so it can explore data while RBAC and masking policies enforce exactly what it may see.
FAQ
- Is it free?
- There is no separate charge for the MCP server itself, but the underlying Cortex Analyst, Cortex Search, SQL, and warehouse compute it triggers consume your normal Snowflake credits and storage.
- Does it support remote/OAuth?
- Yes. It is a remote (Streamable HTTP) endpoint hosted inside your Snowflake account. Snowflake recommends OAuth 2.0; a Programmatic Access Token sent as a bearer header is also supported.