What is the key difference between Spark SQL and MCP Snowflake Server?

Spark SQL belongs to the Databases category with local stdio execution, while MCP Snowflake Server belongs to the Databases category with local stdio execution.

How do I install Spark SQL or MCP Snowflake Server 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 Spark SQL and MCP Snowflake Server free or paid?

Spark SQL operates under a Free / Open Source model (No auth required). MCP Snowflake Server operates under a BYOK (Pay Provider Direct) model (API Key required).

Which MCP server has more tools and community activity?

Spark SQL lists 4 tools with 1 views and 1 GitHub stars. MCP Snowflake Server lists 15 tools with 2 views and 186 GitHub stars.

Can I use both Spark SQL and MCP Snowflake Server 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

Spark SQL vs MCP Snowflake Server

In-depth architectural comparison of the Spark SQL and MCP Snowflake Server 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

Spark SQL

Databases · Local stdio

Quality: 47/100 (Fair) | Auth: No auth required

MCP Snowflake Server

Databases · Local stdio

Quality: 49/100 (Fair) | Auth: API Key required

Verdict Summary: Choose Spark SQL if you need specialized Databases tools running via a local process. Choose MCP Snowflake Server if your workspace requires Databases integration with local subprocess execution. Both servers can be configured concurrently in your client's mcpServers manifest.

Which MCP Server Should You Choose?

Choose Spark SQL when:

You need dedicated capabilities in the Databases domain.
You prefer local stdio subprocess transport architecture.
Your security boundary fits: No auth required (Free / Open Source).
Primary tools included: list_databases, list_tables, describe_table.

Explore Spark SQL Details

Choose MCP Snowflake Server when:

You need dedicated capabilities in the Databases domain.
You prefer local stdio subprocess transport architecture.
Your security boundary fits: API Key required (BYOK (Pay Provider Direct)).
You have access to required keys: SNOWFLAKE_USER, SNOWFLAKE_ACCOUNT, SNOWFLAKE_ROLE, SNOWFLAKE_DATABASE, SNOWFLAKE_SCHEMA, SNOWFLAKE_WAREHOUSE, SNOWFLAKE_PASSWORD, SNOWFLAKE_PRIVATE_KEY_PATH.
Primary tools included: read_query, query, SELECT.

Feature & Specification Comparison

Specification	Spark SQL Databases	MCP Snowflake Server isaacwasserman Databases
Summary	Query Spark SQL clusters via Thrift/HiveServer2. Works with Spark, EMR, Hive, Impala.	Snowflake integration implementing read and (optional) write operations as well as insight tracking
Category & Scope	Databases	Databases

Tools & Capabilities Breakdown

Spark SQL Tools (4)

list_databases

List all available databases

list_tables

List tables in a database

describe_table

Get table schema (columns, types)

execute_query

Run read-only SQL queries with formatted results

MCP Snowflake Server Tools (15)

read_query

query

SELECT

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).

Spark SQL Configuration

mcpServers (Claude Desktop / Cursor)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "spark-sql": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": [
        "spark-sql-mcp-server"
      ]
    }
  }
}

MCP Snowflake Server Configuration

mcpServers (Claude Desktop / Cursor)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "isaacwasserman-mcp-snowflake-server": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "isaacwasserman-mcp-snowflake-server"
      ],
      "env": {
        "SNOWFLAKE_USER": "YOUR_SNOWFLAKE_USER_HERE",
        "SNOWFLAKE_ACCOUNT": "YOUR_SNOWFLAKE_ACCOUNT_HERE",
        "SNOWFLAKE_ROLE": "YOUR_SNOWFLAKE_ROLE_HERE",
        "SNOWFLAKE_DATABASE": "YOUR_SNOWFLAKE_DATABASE_HERE",
        "SNOWFLAKE_SCHEMA": "YOUR_SNOWFLAKE_SCHEMA_HERE",
        "SNOWFLAKE_WAREHOUSE": "YOUR_SNOWFLAKE_WAREHOUSE_HERE",
        "SNOWFLAKE_PASSWORD": "YOUR_SNOWFLAKE_PASSWORD_HERE",
        "SNOWFLAKE_PRIVATE_KEY_PATH": "YOUR_SNOWFLAKE_PRIVATE_KEY_PATH_HERE"
      }
    }
  }
}

Frequently Asked Questions

Spark SQL is categorized under Databases and uses a local stdio subprocess. In contrast, MCP Snowflake Server belongs to Databases using local stdio subprocess. Select Spark SQL when you need capabilities focused on databases and MCP Snowflake Server when you require tools for databases.

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