Sqlew MCP Server

ADR (Architecture Decision Record) for AI Agents – An MCP server that enables AI agents to create, query, and maintain architecture decision records

Local serverstdioTypeScript

What is the Sqlew MCP server?

ADR (Architecture Decision Record) for AI Agents – An MCP server that enables AI agents to create, query, and maintain architecture decision records in a structured SQL database. The sqlew mcp server wraps that behind the Model Context Protocol, so an assistant can use it rather than through you.

What it actually does

Every AI coding session starts from scratch. Your agent doesn't remember that you chose PostgreSQL over MongoDB last week, or that the team agreed on a specific API versioning strategy. Without persistent memory, agents repeat mistakes, contradict earlier decisions, and waste tokens re-discovering context.

  • Structured Records — — Decisions stored as relational data with metadata, tags, layers, and version history
  • Fast Queries — — 2-50ms retrieval via SQL, even with thousands of decisions
  • Duplicate Detection — — Three-tier similarity scoring (0-100) prevents redundant decisions
  • Constraint Tracking — — Architectural rules and principles as first-class entities
  • Auto-Capture — — Hooks automatically record decisions from Plan Mode (Claude Code, Codex, Grok Build, and Hermes via sqlew-plugin)
  • Session Context Injection — — Recent decisions and active constraints injected at session start (Claude Code, Hermes, Codex partial; not Grok Build — see matrix)

Configuration

You will need one environment variable: SQLEW_API_KEY. 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.

Adding it to your client

The server ships on npm as sqlew, so your MCP client can launch it on demand — there is no separate build step. Add the server block to your client's configuration, restart it, and the tools register themselves.

When to reach for it

Among the database access options, the useful question is rarely "what can it do" but "what does it cost you to run" — permissions, credentials, and how much of your context its toolset consumes.

This entry was verified against Sqlew's own documentation before publication; SyncDev keeps the directory reviewed rather than auto-generated.

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.
  • 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 sqlew mcp server does with a few real requests.

How to install the Sqlew MCP server

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "sqlew-git": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "sqlew"],
      "env": {
        "SQLEW_API_KEY": "your-value"
      }
    }
  }
}

Add to claude_desktop_config.json, then restart Claude Desktop.

Configuration

VariableDescriptionRequired
SQLEW_API_KEYCredential the server authenticates with.Yes

Frequently asked questions

It connects Sqlew to MCP-compatible AI assistants such as Claude and Cursor. Instead of copying data back and forth by hand, the assistant works with Sqlew directly.