> Full Neon documentation index: https://neon.com/docs/llms.txt

# Get started with Claude Desktop and Neon MCP Server

Connect Claude Desktop to Neon to manage projects, run queries, and make schema changes

This guide shows how to connect Claude Desktop to the [Neon MCP Server](https://github.com/neondatabase/mcp-server-neon) so you can manage your Neon Postgres databases.

**Important: Security**

The Neon MCP Server grants broad database management capabilities. Always review and authorize actions requested by the LLM before execution. See [MCP security guidance](https://neon.com/docs/ai/neon-mcp-server#mcp-security-guidance).

## Setting up Neon MCP server

### Prerequisites

- **Node.js (>= v18):** Install from [nodejs.org](https://nodejs.org/).
- **Claude Desktop:** Install Anthropic's [Claude Desktop](https://claude.ai/download).
- **Neon Account:** Sign up for a free Neon account at [neon.tech](https://neon.tech).
- **Neon API Key (for Local MCP server):** Get your [Neon API Key](https://neon.com/docs/manage/api-keys#creating-api-keys).

### Option 1: Setting up the remote hosted Neon MCP Server

**Note:** By default, the Remote MCP Server connects to your personal Neon account. To connect to an organization's account, you must authenticate with an API key. For more information, see [API key-based authentication](https://neon.com/docs/ai/neon-mcp-server#config-generator). Claude connectors currently don't support API key authentication.

Choose one of the following methods to set up the Remote Neon MCP server in Claude Desktop:

**Using Claude Connectors**

1. Launch Claude Desktop and open the **Search & Tools** panel, and select **Add Connector**.
   ![Claude search and tools button](https://neon.com/guides/images/claude_mcp/claude_add_connector.png)
2. Click on **Add a custom one** to open the custom connector modal.
   ![Claude custom connector button](https://neon.com/guides/images/claude_mcp/claude_custom_connector.png)
3. Enter **Neon** in the **Name** field and `https://mcp.neon.tech/mcp` in the **Remote MCP server URL** field, then click **Add**.
   ![Claude custom connector modal](https://neon.com/guides/images/claude_mcp/claude_custom_connector_modal.png)
4. An OAuth window will open in your browser. Follow the prompts to authorize Claude to access your Neon account.
   ![Neon OAuth window](https://neon.com/docs/guides/neon-oauth-window.png)
5. After authorization, you can start using the Neon MCP server with Claude.

**By modifying config file**

1. Open Claude desktop and navigate to **Settings**.
   ![Claude settings](https://neon.com/guides/images/claude_mcp/claude_settings.png)

2. Under the **Developer** tab, click **Edit Config** (On Windows, it's under File -> Settings -> Developer -> Edit Config) to open the location of configuration file (`claude_desktop_config.json`).
   ![Claude config](https://neon.com/guides/images/claude_mcp/claude_developer_config.png)

3. Open the `claude_desktop_config.json` file in a text editor of your choice.

4. Add the "Neon" server entry within the `mcpServers` object:

   ```json
   {
     "mcpServers": {
       "Neon": {
         "command": "npx",
         "args": ["-y", "mcp-remote@latest", "https://mcp.neon.tech/mcp"]
       }
     }
   }
   ```

5. Save the configuration file and **restart** Claude Desktop.

6. An OAuth window will open in your browser. Follow the prompts to authorize Claude to access your Neon account.
   ![Neon OAuth window](https://neon.com/docs/guides/neon-oauth-window.png)

7. After authorization, you can start using the Neon MCP server with Claude.

### Option 2: Setting up the Local Neon MCP Server

This method runs the Neon MCP server locally on your machine, using a Neon API key for authentication.

1. Open your terminal.

2. Run the following command to install the Local Neon MCP server for use with Claude Desktop:

   ```bash
   npx @neondatabase/mcp-server-neon init $NEON_API_KEY
   ```

   > Make sure to replace `$NEON_API_KEY` with your actual Neon API key. You can generate one through the Neon Console by following the instructions in [Creating API keys](https://neon.com/docs/manage/api-keys#creating-api-keys).

   You'll be prompted to install the required dependencies. Type `y` to proceed. You should see output similar to this:

   ```bash
   npx @neondatabase/mcp-server-neon init napi_xxxx
   Need to install the following packages:
   @neondatabase/mcp-server-neon@0.x.x
   Ok to proceed? (y) y

   Config written to: /Users/USERNAME/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
   The Neon MCP server will start automatically the next time you open Claude.
   ```

3. Restart Claude Desktop.

### Verifying the connection

Verify the connection:

1. In Claude click on the search and tools icon to see the available tools.
   ![Claude available tools](https://neon.com/guides/images/claude_mcp/claude_available_tools.png)
2. You should see the Neon MCP server's tools listed. Click on the **neon** tool to see the available tools in detail.
   ![Claude list available tools](https://neon.com/guides/images/claude_mcp/claude_list_available_tools.png)
   Ask Claude `"List my Neon projects"` to verify the connection. For example, you might see output similar to this:

![Claude output](https://neon.com/guides/images/claude_mcp/claude_list_project.png)

## Resources

- [MCP Protocol](https://modelcontextprotocol.org)
- [Neon Docs](https://neon.com/docs)
- [Neon API Reference](https://api-docs.neon.tech/reference/getting-started-with-neon-api)
- [Neon API Keys](https://neon.com/docs/manage/api-keys#creating-api-keys)
- [Neon MCP server GitHub](https://github.com/neondatabase/mcp-server-neon)