# stackql-mcp
[](https://crates.io/crates/stackql-mcp)
[](https://docs.rs/stackql-mcp)
[](https://github.com/stackql/stackql-mcp-rs/actions/workflows/ci.yml)
Embedded [StackQL](https://stackql.io) MCP server for Rust agentic apps. StackQL exposes cloud providers (AWS, GitHub, Google, Azure, and more) as SQL tables; this crate acquires the `stackql` binary, launches it as an MCP server over stdio, and hands you a connected [rmcp](https://crates.io/crates/rmcp) client.
## Quickstart
```rust
use stackql_mcp::{Mode, StackqlMcp};
#[tokio::main]
async fn main() -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
let server = StackqlMcp::builder()
.mode(Mode::ReadOnly)
.auth(serde_json::json!({"github": {"type": "null_auth"}}))
.start()
.await?;
let tools = server.list_all_tools().await?;
println!("{} tools available", tools.len());
server.shutdown().await?;
Ok(())
}
```
Run it: `cargo run --example minimal`. The github provider in `null_auth` mode needs no cloud credentials.
## Acquisition modes
Two ways to get the server binary, both behind the same API:
- sidecar (default feature): downloads the platform's `.mcpb` bundle at first run, verifies its sha256 against pins baked into the crate, and caches it. Subsequent starts are offline.
- vendored (`vendored` feature): embed the bundle in your binary and extract it on first run - no network at runtime, a single shippable binary:
```rust
let server = StackqlMcp::builder()
.bundle_bytes(include_bytes!("../stackql-mcp-linux-x64.mcpb"))
.start()
.await?;
```
Bundles are published per release at [stackql/stackql](https://github.com/stackql/stackql/releases) by [stackql/stackql-mcpb-packaging](https://github.com/stackql/stackql-mcpb-packaging). Platforms: linux-x64, linux-arm64, windows-x64, darwin-universal.
## Safety modes
The server enforces a safety contract per session; the crate defaults to the most restrictive.
| `Mode::ReadOnly` (default) | SELECT and metadata tools only |
| `Mode::Safe` | reads plus non-destructive mutations |
| `Mode::DeleteSafe` | safe plus deletes |
| `Mode::FullAccess` | everything, including lifecycle provisioning |
Escalation is an explicit caller opt-in via `.mode(...)`.
## Cache and overrides
The binary cache is shared with the StackQL npm and PyPI wrappers: `~/.stackql/mcp-server-bin/<version>/<platform>/`. Existing cache entries are used before any download.
Env overrides:
- `STACKQL_MCP_BIN`: path to a stackql binary to run directly (skips acquisition)
- `STACKQL_MCP_BUNDLE`: path to a local `.mcpb` to extract instead of downloading
Builder equivalents: `.binary(path)`, `.bundle_path(path)`, plus `.approot(path)` to relocate StackQL's application root (default `~/.stackql`).
If you bring your own MCP stack, `Builder::command()` returns a `std::process::Command` preloaded with the canonical launch arguments instead of starting anything.
## Demo app: auditron
The repo ships `auditron`, a terminal compliance copilot built on this crate: point-in-time control checks with auditor-ready evidence packs. Control packs are YAML data under [controls/](controls/); the github pack runs unauthenticated, so it works with zero cloud credentials.
```sh
cargo run -p auditron -- scan # live TUI, github-core pack
cargo run -p auditron -- scan --no-tui # line output for CI/pipes
cargo run -p auditron -- scan --var org=your-org # point it at your org
cargo run -p auditron -- evidence --out evidence-2026-06.zip
```
The TUI streams pass/fail/error per control and always shows the SQL that produced a finding. Select a finding and press `e` to have Claude explain it and draft remediation steps (needs `ANTHROPIC_API_KEY`). The evidence zip contains the run manifest, the exact pack and SQL, and per-control CSVs - re-runnable by an auditor.
auditron is also the single-binary pitch. Build it with the server embedded:
```sh
BUNDLE=$(cargo run -p stackql-mcp --example fetch_bundle)
STACKQL_MCP_BUNDLE_FILE=$BUNDLE cargo build -p auditron --features vendored --release
```
The resulting binary (~80 MB) carries the StackQL server inside and runs on a clean machine with no downloads.
## Development
```sh
cargo test --workspace # unit tests
cargo test -p stackql-mcp --features vendored # vendored path
cargo test -p stackql-mcp --test conformance -- --include-ignored # downloads the pinned bundle
cargo fmt --check && cargo clippy --workspace --all-targets -- -D warnings
```
MSRV: 1.88 (set by rmcp 1.x).
## License
MIT