What is the key difference between Dbt MCP and Datanika Core?

Dbt MCP belongs to the Data Platforms category with local stdio execution, while Datanika Core belongs to the Data Platforms category with local stdio execution.

How do I install Dbt MCP or Datanika Core in Claude Desktop or Cursor?

Copy the mcpServers JSON configuration snippet provided on this page into your claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json file and restart your AI client.

Are Dbt MCP and Datanika Core free or paid?

Dbt MCP operates under a BYOK (Pay Provider Direct) model (API Key required). Datanika Core operates under a Free / Open Source model (OAuth 2.0).

Which MCP server has more tools and community activity?

Dbt MCP lists 62 tools with 3 views and 609 GitHub stars. Datanika Core lists 6 tools with 2 views and 0 GitHub stars.

Can I use both Dbt MCP and Datanika Core together in the same MCP host?

Yes! MCP hosts like Claude Desktop, Cursor, Windsurf, Cline, and VS Code support configuring multiple servers under the mcpServers object simultaneously.

Side-by-Side Model Context Protocol Comparison

Dbt MCP vs Datanika Core

In-depth architectural comparison of the Dbt MCP and Datanika Core MCP servers. Compare execution transports, security boundaries, tool capabilities, quality scores, and ready-to-paste client installation snippets for Claude, Cursor, Windsurf, and VS Code.

At a Glance & Executive Verdict

Dbt MCP

Data Platforms · Local stdio

Quality: 78/100 (Great) | Auth: API Key required

Datanika Core

Data Platforms · Local stdio

Quality: 51/100 (Good) | Auth: OAuth 2.0

Verdict Summary: Choose Dbt MCP if you need specialized Data Platforms tools running via a local process. Choose Datanika Core if your workspace requires Data Platforms integration with local subprocess execution. Both servers can be configured concurrently in your client's mcpServers manifest.

Which MCP Server Should You Choose?

Choose Dbt MCP when:

You need dedicated capabilities in the Data Platforms domain.
You prefer local stdio subprocess transport architecture.
Your security boundary fits: API Key required (BYOK (Pay Provider Direct)).
Primary tools included: execute_sql, text_to_sql, get_dimension_values.

Explore Dbt MCP Details

Choose Datanika Core when:

You need dedicated capabilities in the Data Platforms domain.
You prefer local stdio subprocess transport architecture.
Your security boundary fits: OAuth 2.0 (Free / Open Source).
Primary tools included: 25 MCP tools, 17 read-only tools, 8 write tools.

Explore Datanika Core Details

Feature & Specification Comparison

Specification	Dbt MCP dbt-labs VerifiedData Platforms	Datanika Core datanika-io Data Platforms
Summary	Official MCP server for dbt (data build tool) providing integration with dbt Core/Cloud CLI, project metadata discovery, model information, and semantic layer querying capabilities.	Read-only-by-default MCP server for Datanika, the open-source ELT + dbt platform: browse connections, preview data, run and compile dbt transforms, monitor runs, and manage pipelines. 25 tools; opt-in --allow-write enables create/trigger.

Tools & Capabilities Breakdown

Dbt MCP Tools (62)

execute_sql

Executes SQL on dbt Platform infrastructure with Semantic Layer support.

text_to_sql

Generates SQL from natural language using project context.

get_dimension_values

Gets distinct values for a dimension; option to scope to specific metrics.

get_dimensions

Gets dimensions for specified metrics.

get_entities

Gets entities for specified metrics.

get_metrics_compiled_sql

Returns compiled SQL for metrics without executing the query.

Ready-to-Paste Client Configurations

Paste either (or both) of these JSON server blocks into your client config file (e.g. claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json).

Dbt MCP Configuration

mcpServers (Claude Desktop / Cursor)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "dbt-labs-dbt-mcp": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "dbt-labs-dbt-mcp"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Datanika Core Configuration

mcpServers (Claude Desktop / Cursor)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "datanika-io-datanika-core": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": [
        "datanika-mcp"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Frequently Asked Questions

Dbt MCP is categorized under Data Platforms and uses a local stdio subprocess. In contrast, Datanika Core belongs to Data Platforms using local stdio subprocess. Select Dbt MCP when you need capabilities focused on data platforms and Datanika Core when you require tools for data platforms.

More alternatives to Dbt MCP More alternatives to Datanika Core Data Platforms category hub Canonical compare URL