Explore Open Data
with AI
Turn any CKAN open data portal into a conversation.
Give your AI assistant direct access to any CKAN open data portal — search datasets, explore organizations, query tabular data, and read metadata, all through natural language. No CKAN knowledge required.
Why CKAN MCP Server?
Purpose-built for researchers, data scientists, and journalists working with open data
Advanced Search
Use Solr syntax for powerful queries: fuzzy matching, proximity search, date ranges, boosting, and complex boolean logic.
DataStore Queries
Query tabular data directly with filters, sorting, and SQL support. Analyze datasets without downloading files.
Hundreds of Portals
Connect to any CKAN portal worldwide: dati.gov.it, data.gov, open.canada.ca, and hundreds more.
Natural Language
Ask questions in plain language. AI converts your intent into precise CKAN API queries automatically.
Rich Metadata
Access complete dataset metadata, organization details, tags, groups, and quality metrics (MQA).
Developer Friendly
TypeScript, 200+ automated tests, comprehensive docs. Install via npm or deploy to Cloudflare Workers.
Quick Start
Choose your preferred installation method
No Install — Use the Hosted Endpoint
Just point your MCP client at this URL — nothing to install:
https://ckan-mcp-server.andy-pr.workers.dev/mcp
100,000 requests/day shared quota · Free · Works with any MCP client
ChatGPT
Plus / Team / Enterprise- 1.Profile menu → Settings → Apps → Advanced settings
- 2.Enable Developer mode
- 3.Click Create app (top-right)
- 4.Name: CKAN MCP Server · URL: the endpoint above · Auth: No Auth
- 5.In a new chat: + → More → select CKAN MCP Server
Claude Desktop
- 1.Settings → Integrations
- 2.Click Add custom integration
- 3.Name: CKAN MCP Server · URL: the endpoint above
- 4.Click Add to save
- 5.New chat → + → Integrations → enable CKAN MCP Server
Claude Desktop
Add to your Claude Desktop configuration file:
{
"mcpServers": {
"ckan": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["@aborruso/ckan-mcp-server@latest"]
}
}
}
Config: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
VS Code / Cursor
Add to your MCP settings:
{
"mcpServers": {
"ckan": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["@aborruso/ckan-mcp-server@latest"]
}
}
}Cloudflare Workers
Use the public endpoint (no installation required):
{
"mcpServers": {
"ckan": {
"url": "https://ckan-mcp-server.andy-pr.workers.dev/mcp"
}
}
}💡 Free tier: 100,000 requests/day shared quota - sufficient for most users. For heavy usage, install locally.
Global Installation
Install globally via npm:
npm install -g @aborruso/ckan-mcp-serverThen use in your MCP config:
{
"mcpServers": {
"ckan": {
"command": "ckan-mcp-server"
}
}
}See it in action
Just ask in plain language — no query syntax needed
"Search dati.gov.it for datasets about air quality in Milan, then summarize what each contains — time coverage, license, and best download format."
The server finds 31 datasets, groups them by structural pattern, and returns a clear summary — including series names, years covered, publisher, and format.
Also works with ChatGPT, Claude Code, Gemini CLI, and Codex CLI. See the full setup guide for step-by-step instructions.
Perfect For
Everyone. No CKAN knowledge required.
Journalists looking for data to verify a story. Researchers exploring public datasets. Public servants checking what data their administration publishes. Developers building data pipelines.
Researchers
Quickly find and analyze datasets for academic studies, literature reviews, and data-driven research.
Data Scientists
Explore public datasets for machine learning projects, exploratory analysis, and data enrichment.
Public Sector
Monitor open data quality, discover datasets from other agencies, and ensure metadata compliance.
Students
Access real-world data for coursework, thesis projects, and learning data analysis techniques.
Journalists
Discover data for investigative reporting, fact-checking, and data-driven storytelling.
Open Data Advocates
Monitor portal activity, track data releases, and promote transparency initiatives.
Supported Portals
Connect to any CKAN-based open data portal worldwide
Verified portals with public API access
dati.gov.it
Italian National Open Data Portal
catalog.data.gov
United States Open Data
open.canada.ca
Canada Open Government
data.gov.au
Australian Government Open Data
data.gov.uk
United Kingdom Open Data
opendata.swiss
Swiss Open Data Portal
+ hundreds more CKAN portals worldwide
Ready to explore
open data with AI?
Install CKAN MCP Server in minutes and start querying hundreds of portals