airtable-mcp-server

MCP.Pizza Chef: domdomegg

The airtable-mcp-server is a Model Context Protocol server that provides AI systems with structured, real-time access to Airtable databases. It allows large language models (LLMs) to inspect database schemas, read records, and write data back to Airtable bases securely. This server facilitates seamless integration of Airtable data into AI workflows, enabling dynamic data manipulation and retrieval. It supports authentication via Airtable personal access tokens with configurable read and write permissions, making it ideal for AI-enhanced automation, data querying, and collaborative workflows involving Airtable.

Use This MCP server To

Enable AI to query Airtable database schemas Allow LLMs to read records from Airtable bases Enable AI to write and update Airtable records Integrate Airtable data into AI-driven workflows Automate Airtable data management with AI Provide real-time Airtable data access to AI agents

README

airtable-mcp-server

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A Model Context Protocol server that provides read and write access to Airtable databases. This server enables LLMs to inspect database schemas, then read and write records.

airtable-mcp-server-demo.mp4

Usage

To use this server with the Claude Desktop app, add the following configuration to the "mcpServers" section of your claude_desktop_config.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "airtable": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "airtable-mcp-server"
      ],
      "env": {
        "AIRTABLE_API_KEY": "pat123.abc123"
      }
    }
  }
}

Replace pat123.abc123 with your Airtable personal access token. Your token should have at least schema.bases:read and data.records:read, and optionally the corresponding write permissions.

Components

Tools

  • list_records

    • Lists records from a specified Airtable table
    • Input parameters:
      • baseId (string, required): The ID of the Airtable base
      • tableId (string, required): The ID of the table to query
      • maxRecords (number, optional): Maximum number of records to return. Defaults to 100.
      • filterByFormula (string, optional): Airtable formula to filter records
  • search_records

    • Search for records containing specific text
    • Input parameters:
      • baseId (string, required): The ID of the Airtable base
      • tableId (string, required): The ID of the table to query
      • searchTerm (string, required): Text to search for in records
      • fieldIds (array, optional): Specific field IDs to search in. If not provided, searches all text-based fields.
      • maxRecords (number, optional): Maximum number of records to return. Defaults to 100.
  • list_bases

    • Lists all accessible Airtable bases
    • No input parameters required
    • Returns base ID, name, and permission level
  • list_tables

    • Lists all tables in a specific base
    • Input parameters:
      • baseId (string, required): The ID of the Airtable base
      • detailLevel (string, optional): The amount of detail to get about the tables (tableIdentifiersOnly, identifiersOnly, or full)
    • Returns table ID, name, description, fields, and views (to the given detailLevel)
  • describe_table

    • Gets detailed information about a specific table
    • Input parameters:
      • baseId (string, required): The ID of the Airtable base
      • tableId (string, required): The ID of the table to describe
      • detailLevel (string, optional): The amount of detail to get about the table (tableIdentifiersOnly, identifiersOnly, or full)
    • Returns the same format as list_tables but for a single table
    • Useful for getting details about a specific table without fetching information about all tables in the base
  • get_record

    • Gets a specific record by ID
    • Input parameters:
      • baseId (string, required): The ID of the Airtable base
      • tableId (string, required): The ID of the table
      • recordId (string, required): The ID of the record to retrieve
  • create_record

    • Creates a new record in a table
    • Input parameters:
      • baseId (string, required): The ID of the Airtable base
      • tableId (string, required): The ID of the table
      • fields (object, required): The fields and values for the new record
  • update_records

    • Updates one or more records in a table
    • Input parameters:
      • baseId (string, required): The ID of the Airtable base
      • tableId (string, required): The ID of the table
      • records (array, required): Array of objects containing record ID and fields to update
  • delete_records

    • Deletes one or more records from a table
    • Input parameters:
      • baseId (string, required): The ID of the Airtable base
      • tableId (string, required): The ID of the table
      • recordIds (array, required): Array of record IDs to delete
  • create_table

    • Creates a new table in a base
    • Input parameters:
      • baseId (string, required): The ID of the Airtable base
      • name (string, required): Name of the new table
      • description (string, optional): Description of the table
      • fields (array, required): Array of field definitions (name, type, description, options)
  • update_table

    • Updates a table's name or description
    • Input parameters:
      • baseId (string, required): The ID of the Airtable base
      • tableId (string, required): The ID of the table
      • name (string, optional): New name for the table
      • description (string, optional): New description for the table
  • create_field

    • Creates a new field in a table
    • Input parameters:
      • baseId (string, required): The ID of the Airtable base
      • tableId (string, required): The ID of the table
      • name (string, required): Name of the new field
      • type (string, required): Type of the field
      • description (string, optional): Description of the field
      • options (object, optional): Field-specific options
  • update_field

    • Updates a field's name or description
    • Input parameters:
      • baseId (string, required): The ID of the Airtable base
      • tableId (string, required): The ID of the table
      • fieldId (string, required): The ID of the field
      • name (string, optional): New name for the field
      • description (string, optional): New description for the field

Resources

The server provides schema information for Airtable bases and tables:

  • Table Schemas (airtable://<baseId>/<tableId>/schema)
    • JSON schema information for each table
    • Includes:
      • Base id and table id
      • Table name and description
      • Primary field ID
      • Field definitions (ID, name, type, description, options)
      • View definitions (ID, name, type)
    • Automatically discovered from Airtable's metadata API

Contributing

Pull requests are welcomed on GitHub! To get started:

  1. Install Git and Node.js
  2. Clone the repository
  3. Install dependencies with npm install
  4. Run npm run test to run tests
  5. Build with npm run build
  • You can use npm run build:watch to automatically build after editing src/index.ts. This means you can hit save, reload Claude Desktop (with Ctrl/Cmd+R), and the changes apply.

Releases

Versions follow the semantic versioning spec.

To release:

  1. Use npm version <major | minor | patch> to bump the version
  2. Run git push --follow-tags to push with tags
  3. Wait for GitHub Actions to publish to the NPM registry.

airtable-mcp-server FAQ

How do I authenticate the airtable-mcp-server?
You authenticate using an Airtable personal access token with appropriate read and write scopes, set via the AIRTABLE_API_KEY environment variable.
Can the airtable-mcp-server write data to Airtable?
Yes, it supports both reading and writing records, provided the token has write permissions.
What permissions are required for the Airtable token?
At minimum, the token needs schema.bases:read and data.records:read permissions; write permissions are optional for data modification.
How do I configure the airtable-mcp-server with Claude Desktop?
Add the server configuration to the mcpServers section in claude_desktop_config.json, specifying the command, args, and AIRTABLE_API_KEY environment variable.
Is the airtable-mcp-server compatible with other LLM platforms?
Yes, it is designed to be provider-agnostic and works with models like OpenAI GPT, Anthropic Claude, and Google Gemini.
Does the server expose the Airtable schema to the AI model?
Yes, it allows LLMs to inspect database schemas to understand table structures and fields.
Can I use the airtable-mcp-server for multiple Airtable bases?
Yes, as long as the token has access to those bases, the server can interact with multiple Airtable bases.
What is the recommended way to secure the Airtable API key?
Store the API key securely in environment variables and avoid hardcoding it in source code or public repositories.