Oecd MCP Server

Search and query 1,500+ OECD statistical datasets via SDMX. Keyless.

Local serverstdio

What is the Oecd MCP server?

Search and query 1,500+ OECD statistical datasets via SDMX. Keyless. Exposed over MCP by the oecd mcp server, that capability becomes something an assistant can invoke while it works, not something you go and do afterwards.

What it actually does

  • Declarative tool, resource, and prompt definitions — single file per primitive, framework handles registration and validation
  • Unified error handling — handlers throw, framework catches, classifies, and formats
  • Pluggable auth: none, jwt, oauth
  • Swappable storage backends: in-memory, filesystem, Supabase, Cloudflare KV/R2/D1
  • Structured logging with optional OpenTelemetry tracing
  • STDIO and Streamable HTTP transports

Its toolset

Everything the assistant can do here goes through one of these:

  • oecd_list_agencies — List OECD SDMX agencies and the number of dataflows each publishes
  • oecd_search_datasets — Search 1,500+ OECD dataflows by keyword or theme
  • oecd_get_dataset_info — Fetch a dataflow's dimensions, key order, and codelist references
  • oecd_get_dimension_values — Fetch valid codes and labels for one dimension (countries, measures, frequencies)
  • oecd_query_dataset — Fetch observations filtered by dimension key and time range; spills large results to DataCanvas
  • oecd_dataframe_describe — List DataCanvas tables and columns staged by a prior oecd_query_dataset spill
  • oecd_dataframe_query — Run a read-only SQL SELECT against DataCanvas tables
  • Prerequisites — The Prerequisites tool exposed by this server
  • Installation — The Installation tool exposed by this server

Adding it to your client

Setup follows the usual MCP pattern — install or clone the server, register it in your client's configuration file, restart the client. The configuration blocks on this page cover the common clients.

Configuration

You will need 4 environment variables: MCP_TRANSPORT_TYPE, MCP_LOG_LEVEL, CANVAS_PROVIDER_TYPE, OECD_BASE_URL. The server will not start without them, which is usually why the tools fail to appear on a first run. Keep credentials in your client's env block or a secrets manager rather than in a file you might commit.

  • Bun v1.3.11 or higher (or Node.js v24+). - No API key required — OECD SDMX is a free, public API.

When to reach for it

Plenty of file and storage access servers cover similar ground. The differences that matter in practice are scope of access and how much setup stands between you and a working tool call. Oecd's toolset — oecd_list_agencies, oecd_search_datasets, oecd_get_dataset_info and 6 more — is a fair guide to whether it matches your workflow. It is maintained by cyanheads; worth a glance at recent repository activity before you build anything load-bearing on it.

SyncDev reviews every entry in this directory against the project's own documentation before publishing, and revisits them as servers change.

Caveats

  • It runs with your machine's permissions. That is convenient and also the reason to think about what you point it at before you approve a tool call.
  • With 9 tools registered it takes up a noticeable share of the context window; turn it off in projects that never touch Oecd.
  • Missing credentials fail quietly in some clients — if no tools show up, check the environment block first.
  • MCP clients confirm each tool call by default. Leave that on until you have watched what the oecd mcp server does with a few real requests.

Available tools

ToolWhat it does
oecd_list_agenciesList OECD SDMX agencies and the number of dataflows each publishes
oecd_search_datasetsSearch 1,500+ OECD dataflows by keyword or theme
oecd_get_dataset_infoFetch a dataflow's dimensions, key order, and codelist references
oecd_get_dimension_valuesFetch valid codes and labels for one dimension (countries, measures, frequencies)
oecd_query_datasetFetch observations filtered by dimension key and time range; spills large results to DataCanvas
oecd_dataframe_describeList DataCanvas tables and columns staged by a prior oecd_query_dataset spill
oecd_dataframe_queryRun a read-only SQL SELECT against DataCanvas tables
PrerequisitesThe Prerequisites tool exposed by this server.
InstallationThe Installation tool exposed by this server.

How to install the Oecd MCP server

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "oecd-mcp-server": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "bunx",
      "args": ["@cyanheads/oecd-mcp-server@latest"],
      "env": {
        "MCP_TRANSPORT_TYPE": "stdio",
        "MCP_LOG_LEVEL": "info"
      }
    }
  }
}

Configuration as documented by the project. Restart the client after saving.

Configuration

  • Bun v1.3.11 or higher (or Node.js v24+). - No API key required — OECD SDMX is a free, public API.
VariableDescriptionRequired
MCP_TRANSPORT_TYPEConfiguration value read at startup.Optional
MCP_LOG_LEVELConfiguration value read at startup.Optional
CANVAS_PROVIDER_TYPEConfiguration value read at startup.Optional
OECD_BASE_URLEndpoint or connection string the server talks to.Yes

Example prompts to try

  • Use Oecd to oecd list agencies.
  • Use Oecd to oecd search datasets.
  • Use Oecd to oecd get dataset info.

Frequently asked questions

It connects Oecd to MCP-compatible AI assistants such as Claude and Cursor, exposing 9 tools (oecd_list_agencies, oecd_search_datasets, oecd_get_dataset_info, and more) that the assistant can call on your behalf. Instead of copying data back and forth by hand, the assistant works with Oecd directly.