MCP server that enables a client, such as Claude Desktop, to access open government data through Socrata APIs
If you already use Opengov, the opengov mcp server is the piece that lets your assistant work with it directly. MCP server that enables a client, such as Claude Desktop, to access open government data through Socrata APIs.
An MCP (Model Context Protocol) server that enables MCP clients like Claude Desktop to access Socrata Open Data APIs. This integration allows Claude Desktop to search for, retrieve, and analyze public datasets from government data portals.
No API key is required for basic usage, as the server accesses public data.
The toolset is worth reading before you wire it up, because it tells you what the integration is really for:
catalog — Search and list datasetscategories — List dataset categoriestags — List dataset tagsdataset-metadata — Get dataset detailscolumn-info — Get dataset column informationdata-access — Query and retrieve recordssite-metrics — Get portal statisticsDATA_PORTAL_URL — The Socrata data portal URL (e.g., https://data.cityofchicago.org)Parameters — The Parameters tool exposed by this serverwill on npm is all you need. Most clients run it directly, so configuration is a few lines and a restart.
Configuration is passed through the environment: DATA_PORTAL_URL. Treat anything key-shaped as a real credential — scope it to the minimum the server needs, and rotate it if it ever lands in a shared config.
Plenty of database 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. Opengov's toolset — catalog, categories, tags and 6 more — is a fair guide to whether it matches your workflow. It is maintained by srobbin; worth a glance at recent repository activity before you build anything load-bearing on it.
We check each listing at SyncDev against the project's documentation before it goes live — if something here drifts out of date, it is a bug worth reporting.
| Tool | What it does |
|---|---|
| catalog | Search and list datasets |
| categories | List dataset categories |
| tags | List dataset tags |
| dataset-metadata | Get dataset details |
| column-info | Get dataset column information |
| data-access | Query and retrieve records |
| site-metrics | Get portal statistics |
| DATA_PORTAL_URL | The Socrata data portal URL (e.g., https://data.cityofchicago.org) |
| Parameters | The Parameters tool exposed by this server. |
{
"mcpServers": {
"opengov": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "opengov-mcp-server@latest"],
"env": {
"DATA_PORTAL_URL": "https://data.cityofchicago.org"
}
}
}
}Configuration as documented by the project. Restart the client after saving.
| Variable | Description | Required |
|---|---|---|
| DATA_PORTAL_URL | Endpoint or connection string the server talks to. | Yes |
Read-only SQL access to Postgres — let your assistant inspect schemas and answer questions from real data.
Manage your whole Supabase project in conversation — database, auth, storage, Edge Functions and branches.
Query, modify and analyse local SQLite databases in conversation — the fastest way to chat with a data file.
Metabase ships its own MCP endpoint — search your BI content, build and run queries, and save questions and dashboards without leaving the chat.
Official MongoDB server covering data, schemas and Atlas management — from find queries to spinning up clusters.
Serverless Postgres with database branching — point your assistant at Neon and let it work on disposable copies.