Starting and Managing the SQLcl MCP Server

3.5 Starting and Managing the SQLcl MCP Server

The SQLcl MCP Server is designed to be launched and managed automatically through an MCP client application.

Configure your preferred client, such as Claude Desktop or Cline, to start the server when required. Once configured, the MCP client autonomously handles server startup, manages its life cycle, and ensures clean termination upon session completion, while enabling Oracle Database operations through natural conversations. To configure an MCP client, you must specify the server’s location in your client.

Note:

If you already use GitHub Copilot in VS Code, you can readily access the SQLcl MCP Server through SQL Developer for VS Code. No configuration is necessary as SQL Developer for VS Code automatically sets up the server for Copilot. You can simply create a database connection and begin asking questions with Copilot.

To use the server with SQL Developer for VS Code and Copilot, see Starting and Managing the SQLcl MCP Server in Oracle SQL Developer for VS Code User's Guide

The following topics provide specific instructions for configuring two popular MCP clients.

3.5.1 Configuring Claude Desktop

Follow these steps to configure Claude Desktop for SQLcl MCP Server. After configuration, Claude Desktop automatically manages the SQLcl MCP Server, allowing you to perform Oracle Database operations through your conversations with Claude.

Install Claude Desktop. See Installing Claude for Desktop.
Download the configuration file.
1. Open Claude Desktop, click Menu, select File, and then click Settings.
2. In the Settings window, click the Developer tab.
3. Click Edit Config to download the configuration file (claude_desktop_config.json) to your computer.
Edit the configuration file.
Open the claude_desktop_config.json file in a text editor, and add a JSON configuration snippet in the following format. Replace PATH/bin/sql with the absolute path of your SQLcl installation, and save the configuration file.

Example 3-1 Add the TNS_ADMIN environment variable when using tnsnames.ora for database connections

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "sqlcl": {
      "command": "PATH/bin/sql",
      "args": ["-mcp"],
      "env" : {"TNS_ADMIN" : "/PATH"}
     }
   }
 }

Verify the configuration.

Click Search and tools in the prompt box. You see the SQLcl MCP Server tools listed and enabled. If necessary, restart Claude Desktop for changes to take effect.

3.5.2 Configuring Cline in VS Code

Cline is an open-source AI coding assistant for Visual Studio Code (VS Code) that supports MCP. Follow these steps to configure Cline for SQLcl MCP Server.

Download and install VS Code. See Download Visual Studio Code.
Install the Cline extension.
1. Open VS Code, and click Extensions on the sidebar.
2. Enter cline in the search field. When it appears, click Install, then click Trust Publisher and Install to proceed.
The extension is installed and appears on the sidebar.
Configure API keys and select your preferred AI model.

Note:
This step details API configuration for the first installation of Cline. After installation, you can update the API key or model anytime by clicking Settings in the top-right corner of the Cline extension view.
1. Click Cline on the sidebar.
2. Click Use your own API key.
3. Select your API provider, enter related details, and click Let’s go!
  The API Configuration page opens.
4. In the Model field, select the required AI model, and click Save.
Add the SQLcl MCP Server to Cline.
1. With the Cline extension selected on the sidebar, click Manage MCP Servers below the prompt box.
2. In the resulting dialogue, click Settings .
  The MCP Servers page opens, with the Installed tab selected.
3. Click Configure MCP Servers.
  The cline_mcp_settings.json file opens in the VS Code editor.
4. In the settings file, add a JSON configuration snippet in the following format. Replace PATH/bin/sql with the absolute path of your SQLcl installation, and press Ctrl+S on your keyboard to save the file.
```
{
   "mcpServers": {
    "sqlcl": {
            "command": "PATH/bin/sql",
            "args": ["-mcp"],
            "disabled": false
        }
    }
}
```
  You’ll now see the SQLcl MCP Server and its tools listed on the MCP Servers page.
5. Click Done on the MCP Servers page.
If necessary, restart VS Code for changes to take effect.