Install pgmcp in Claude Code

What you need first

• Claude Code, installed.
• Docker, which gives the docker command the server starts with.
• Your own value for YOUR_PGMCP_DATABASE_URL.

Steps

1. Run this in a terminal, in the project folder. It adds the server for you in that project; put --scope user after claude mcp add to have it in every project.

claude mcp add --env PGMCP_DATABASE_URL=YOUR_PGMCP_DATABASE_URL --transport stdio pgmcp -- docker run -i --rm -e PGMCP_DATABASE_URL ghcr.io/pascalallen/pgmcp:1.1.0

2. Replace YOUR_PGMCP_DATABASE_URL with your own value.
3. Start Claude Code and type /mcp: the server is listed with its state.

Check it worked

Ask Claude Code: List the tools of pgmcp.

If it does not start

Cannot connect to the Docker daemon

Docker is not running. Start it, then restart Claude Code.

The server starts, but its tools fail

A YOUR_… placeholder is still in the config, or its value is wrong.