CREATE MCP SERVER¶

Syntax¶

CREATE [ OR REPLACE ] MCP SERVER [ IF NOT EXISTS ] <name>
  FROM SPECIFICATION $$<specification_yaml>$$

Parameters¶

name

String that specifies the identifier for the MCP server; must be unique for the schema in which the MCP server is created.

In addition, the identifier must start with an alphabetic character and cannot contain spaces or special characters unless the entire identifier string is enclosed in double quotes (for example, "My object"). Identifiers enclosed in double quotes are also case-sensitive.

For more information, see Identifier requirements.

FROM SPECIFICATION $$specification_yaml$$

Specifies the YAML specification defining the tools and configuration for the MCP server.

The specification must include a tools array with one or more tool definitions. Each tool must specify:

• name: Unique identifier for the tool

• type: Tool type (see supported tool types)

• title: Human-readable title for the tool

• description: Description of what the tool does

Supported tool types:

• CORTEX_SEARCH_SERVICE_QUERY: Cortex Search Service tool

• CORTEX_ANALYST_MESSAGE: Cortex Analyst tool

• SYSTEM_EXECUTE_SQL: SQL execution tool

• CORTEX_AGENT_RUN: Cortex Agent tool

• CUSTOM: Custom tool for UDFs and stored procedures

Tool-specific requirements:

For CORTEX_SEARCH_SERVICE_QUERY, CORTEX_ANALYST_MESSAGE, and CORTEX_AGENT_RUN tools:

• identifier: Fully qualified name of the underlying object (for example, database.schema.object_name)

For CUSTOM tools:

• identifier: Fully qualified name of the UDF or stored procedure

• config: Configuration object specifying:

  • type: Either function (for UDF) or procedure (for stored procedure)

  • warehouse: Warehouse to use for execution

  • input_schema: JSON schema defining the function/procedure parameters

Access control requirements¶

A role used to execute this operation must have the following privileges at a minimum:

For tools that reference other objects, additional privileges are required:

The USAGE privilege on the parent database and schema are required to perform operations on any object in a schema. Note that a role granted any privilege on a schema allows that role to resolve the schema. For example, a role granted CREATE privilege on a schema can create objects on that schema without also having USAGE granted on that schema.

For instructions on creating a custom role with a specified set of privileges, see Creating custom roles.

For general information about roles and privilege grants for performing SQL actions on securable objects, see Overview of Access Control.

Usage notes¶

• The OR REPLACE and IF NOT EXISTS clauses are mutually exclusive. They can’t both be used in the same statement.

• CREATE OR REPLACE <object> statements are atomic. That is, when an object is replaced, the old object is deleted and the new object is created in a single transaction.

• CREATE OR REPLACE <object> statements are atomic. That is, when an object is replaced, the old object is deleted and the new object is created in a single transaction.

• When configuring hostnames for MCP server connections, use hyphens (-) instead of underscores (_). MCP servers have connection issues with hostnames containing underscores.

• The MCP server specification is stored as metadata and can be viewed using DESCRIBE MCP SERVER.

• Multiple tools can be defined in a single MCP server specification.

• Tool names must be unique within a single MCP server.

• Regarding metadata:

  Attention

  Customers should ensure that no personal data (other than for a User object), sensitive data, export-controlled data, or other regulated data is entered as metadata when using the Snowflake service. For more information, see Metadata fields in Snowflake.

Examples¶

Example 1: Create MCP server with Cortex Search and Analyst tools

CREATE MCP SERVER my_mcp_server
  FROM SPECIFICATION $$
    tools:
      - name: "product-search"
        type: "CORTEX_SEARCH_SERVICE_QUERY"
        identifier: "database1.schema1.cortex_search_service1"
        description: "Cortex search service for all products"
        title: "Product Search"

      - name: "revenue-semantic-view"
        type: "CORTEX_ANALYST_MESSAGE"
        identifier: "database1.schema1.semantic_view_1"
        description: "Semantic view for all revenue tables"
        title: "Semantic view for revenue"
  $$;

Example 2: Create MCP server with SQL execution tool

CREATE MCP SERVER sql_exec_server
  FROM SPECIFICATION $$
    tools:
      - title: "SQL Execution Tool"
        name: "sql_exec_tool"
        type: "SYSTEM_EXECUTE_SQL"
        description: "A tool to execute SQL queries against the connected Snowflake database."
  $$;

Example 3: Create MCP server with custom UDF tool

CREATE MCP SERVER custom_tools_server
  FROM SPECIFICATION $$
    tools:
      - title: "Multiply by Ten"
        identifier: "example_database.agents.multiply_by_ten"
        name: "multiply_by_ten"
        type: "CUSTOM"
        description: "Multiplies input value by ten and returns the result."
        config:
          type: "function"
          warehouse: "compute_service_warehouse"
          input_schema:
            type: "object"
            properties:
              x:
                description: "A number to be multiplied by ten"
                type: "number"
  $$;

Example 4: Create MCP server with custom stored procedure tool

CREATE MCP SERVER procedure_tools_server
  FROM SPECIFICATION $$
    tools:
      - title: "Calculate Values"
        identifier: "example_database.agents.calculate_values_sp"
        name: "calculate_values_sp"
        type: "CUSTOM"
        description: "Calculates the product and sum of two numbers and returns them in a JSON object."
        config:
          type: "procedure"
          warehouse: "compute_service_warehouse"
          input_schema:
            type: "object"
            properties:
              x:
                description: "First number"
                type: "number"
              y:
                description: "Second number"
                type: "number"
  $$;

Example 5: Create MCP server with Agent tool

CREATE MCP SERVER agent_server
  FROM SPECIFICATION $$
    tools:
      - title: "Customer Service Agent"
        name: "customer_agent"
        type: "CORTEX_AGENT_RUN"
        identifier: "support_db.agents_schema.customer_service_agent"
        description: "Agent that handles customer service inquiries"
  $$;