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io.github.tdries/tableau-graphql-mcp

Ask any Tableau lineage question, in any MCP client, through the Tableau Metadata API.

Open source Open in the app JSON README (API)

About

Ask any Tableau lineage question, in any MCP client, through the Tableau Metadata API.

Details

Kind
MCP servers
Topic
No topic detected
Publisher
tdries
Origin
official
Category
ferramentas
Transport
local
Version
0.1.2
Stars
1
Open pull requests
6
Last push
2026-08-05T08:00:22Z
Repository state
ativo
Language
Python
License
MIT
Added
2026-08-29 04:01:31
Updated
2026-08-29 04:01:31
Origin id
io.github.tdries/tableau-graphql-mcp

README

<!-- mcp-name: io.github.tdries/tableau-graphql-mcp -->

<p align="center">
  <img src="docs/images/banner.png" alt="tableau-graphql-mcp" width="880">
</p>

<h1 align="center">tableau-graphql-mcp</h1>

<p align="center"><em>Ask any Tableau lineage question, in any MCP client, through the Tableau Metadata API.</em></p>

<p align="center">
  <a href="https://github.com/tdries/tableau-graphQL-mcp/actions/workflows/ci.yml"><img src="https://github.com/tdries/tableau-graphQL-mcp/actions/workflows/ci.yml/badge.svg" alt="CI"></a>
  <a href="https://github.com/tdries/tableau-graphQL-mcp/actions/workflows/codeql.yml"><img src="https://github.com/tdries/tableau-graphQL-mcp/actions/workflows/codeql.yml/badge.svg" alt="CodeQL"></a>
  <a href="https://github.com/astral-sh/ruff"><img src="https://img.shields.io/endpoint?url=https://raw.githubusercontent.com/astral-sh/ruff/main/assets/badge/v2.json" alt="Ruff"></a>
  <a href="https://pypi.org/project/tableau-graphql-mcp/"><img src="https://img.shields.io/pypi/v/tableau-graphql-mcp.svg" alt="PyPI"></a>
  <img src="https://img.shields.io/pypi/pyversions/tableau-graphql-mcp.svg" alt="Python versions">
  <img src="https://img.shields.io/badge/MCP-compatible-8A2BE2.svg" alt="MCP compatible">
  <a href="LICENSE"><img src="https://img.shields.io/badge/license-MIT-00696E.svg" alt="MIT License"></a>
  <img src="https://img.shields.io/badge/Tableau-Server%20%2B%20Cloud-006EFF.svg" alt="Server + Cloud">
  <img src="https://img.shields.io/badge/deps-just%20mcp-64FA8C.svg" alt="Minimal dependencies">
</p>

<p align="center">
  <a href="cursor://anysphere.cursor-deeplink/mcp/install?name=tableau-graphql&config=eyJjb21tYW5kIjogInV2eCIsICJhcmdzIjogWyJ0YWJsZWF1LWdyYXBocWwtbWNwIl19"><img src="https://img.shields.io/badge/Add%20to-Cursor-0098FF.svg" alt="Add to Cursor"></a>
</p>

<p align="center">
  <img src="docs/images/demo.gif" alt="Asking lineage questions in Claude" width="760">
</p>

---

**tableau-graphql-mcp** turns your Tableau site's [Metadata API](https://help.tableau.com/current/api/metadata_api/en-us/index.html) into a set of MCP tools, so an AI assistant (Claude, Cursor, Cline, and others) can answer lineage questions in plain language:

- _"If I drop the column `SALES`, which workbooks break?"_
- _"What tables does the **Sales Overview** workbook depend on?"_
- _"Which calculated fields reference `Profit`, and on which dashboards?"_
- _"Who should I notify before changing the `DIM_CUSTOMER` table?"_

It ships **seven curated tools**: a universal GraphQL passthrough, live schema introspection, an embedded library of correct query templates, a robust `where_used` resolver, a multi-hop `impact_analysis`, a substring content search, and a connection probe. Together they let the model answer *any* lineage question, not just a fixed menu.

### Why it's different
- **Any question, done right.** `graphql_query` runs any read-only GraphQL; `introspect_schema` and a built-in cheat-sheet plus 28 worked examples keep the model's queries correct.
- **True impact analysis (multi-hop).** `impact_analysis` follows the *whole* dependency chain (a calc built on a calc built on a column is included) and returns the full blast radius plus the de-duplicated **owners to notify**, not just direct references.
- **Works everywhere.** Tableau **Server** *and* **Cloud**. The REST API version and the GraphQL endpoint (`/api/metadata/graphql`, with a `/relationship-service-war/graphql` fallback) are **auto-detected**.
- **Robust lineage without Catalog.** `where_used` resolves workbooks via core lineage (`referencedByFields -> sheets -> workbook`), so it works even when the Data Management add-on's `downstreamWorkbooks` is empty.
- **No silent truncation.** `graphql_query` flags `partial_results` when a query hits the node limit, and `search_content` reports `scanned`/`total` coverage, so a truncated answer is never mistaken for a complete one.
- **Tiny and safe.** Read-only, stdio-only (no inbound port), secrets from env only, and **no dependencies beyond the MCP SDK** (stdlib `urllib` for HTTP).

## Quickstart

You need [`uv`](https://docs.astral.sh/uv/) (`curl -LsSf https://astral.sh/uv/install.sh | sh`) and a Tableau [Personal Access Token](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/security_personal_access_tokens.htm).

**Claude Code, one line:**

```bash
claude mcp add tableau-graphql \
  -e TABLEAU_SERVER=https://10ax.online.tableau.com \
  -e TABLEAU_SITE_CONTENT_URL=YourSite \
  -e TABLEAU_PAT_NAME=my-token \
  -e TABLEAU_PAT_SECRET=the-full-secret \
  -- uvx tableau-graphql-mcp
```

That's all. `uvx` fetches the package from PyPI and runs it in an isolated environment; nothing to clone or install (and no `git` required). Then ask Claude a lineage question.

## Configuration

All configuration is via environment variables (set them in your client's `env` block, never on the command line).

| Env var | Required | Default | Description |
|---|:---:|---|---|
| `TABLEAU_SERVER` | yes | n/a | `https://tableau.company.com` (Server) or `https://<pod>.online.tableau.com` (Cloud). |
| `TABLEAU_SITE_CONTENT_URL` | no | `""` | Site slug (the part after `/#/site/`). Empty = Default site (Server only); Cloud always has one. |
| `TABLEAU_PAT_NAME` | yes¹ | n/a | Personal Access Token **name**. |
| `TABLEAU_PAT_SECRET` | yes¹ | n/a | PAT **secret**: the whole string, do **not** split on `:`. |
| `TABLEAU_TIMEOUT` | no | `60` | Per-request timeout (seconds). |
| `TABLEAU_API_VERSION` | no | auto | REST API version; else read from `/api/serverinfo`. |
| `TABLEAU_METADATA_PATH` | no | auto | Override the GraphQL path; else auto-detected. |
| `TABLEAU_AUTH_TOKEN` | no | n/a | Advanced: a pre-obtained `X-Tableau-Auth` token (SSO tenants where PATs are disabled). |
| `TABLEAU_COOKIE` | no | n/a | Advanced: a browser session cookie (SSO fallback). |

¹ Provide a PAT (`TABLEAU_PAT_NAME` + `TABLEAU_PAT_SECRET`) **or** an advanced `TABLEAU_AUTH_TOKEN` / `TABLEAU_COOKIE`.

<details>
<summary><b>Claude Desktop</b></summary>

Edit `claude_desktop_config.json` (macOS: `~/Library/Application Support/Claude/`, Windows: `%APPDATA%\Claude\`):

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "tableau-graphql": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": ["tableau-graphql-mcp"],
      "env": {
        "TABLEAU_SERVER": "https://10ax.online.tableau.com",
        "TABLEAU_SITE_CONTENT_URL": "YourSite",
        "TABLEAU_PAT_NAME": "my-token",
        "TABLEAU_PAT_SECRET": "the-full-secret"
      }
    }
  }
}
```

Fully **quit and reopen** Claude Desktop, then check the tools menu.
</details>

<details>
<summary><b>Cursor</b> · <b>Cline</b> · <b>Windsurf</b></summary>

Every client uses the same `mcpServers` schema shown above. Add the same block to:
- **Cursor**: `~/.cursor/mcp.json` (global) or `.cursor/mcp.json` (project).
- **Cline**: the MCP Servers panel, then *Configure*, into `cline_mcp_settings.json`.
- **Windsurf**: `~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json`.

On Windows, if `uvx` isn't found by the GUI app, use its absolute path (e.g. `%USERPROFILE%\.local\bin\uvx.exe`).
</details>

## Tools

| Tool | What it does | Key args |
|---|---|---|
| `graphql_query` | Run **any** read-only Metadata API GraphQL query. The general tool for any lineage question. | `query`, `variables` |
| `introspect_schema` | Live schema introspection: list entry points, or a type's exact fields. | `type_name` |
| `lineage_examples` | A schema cheat-sheet plus 28 curated question-to-GraphQL templates (8 categories). | `category` |
| `where_used` | Which workbooks/datasources use given column / field / table names (robust one-hop core-lineage resolution). | `names` |
| `impact_analysis` | Full transitive **multi-hop** blast radius of a column/field/table: every dependent field, plus affected sheets, dashboards, workbooks, and **owners to notify**. | `name` |
| `search_content` | Find content whose **name contains** a term (case-insensitive substring), across workbooks, datasources, tables (and optionally fields/columns), with coverage numbers. | `term`, `types` |
| `server_info` | Connected server, site, versions, endpoint, auth, and whether Catalog lineage is available. | none |

All tools are **read-only**. The Metadata API has no mutations.

## Example prompts

Once connected, try:

- _"Use server_info to confirm what you're connected to."_
- _"Search for anything with 'revenue' in the name."_
- _"Which workbooks use the columns SALES, PROFIT and DISCOUNT? Group by owner."_
- _"Show me the field-to-source-column map for the 'Sales Overview' workbook."_
- _"List every calculated field in that workbook with its formula."_
- _"Which published datasources feed workbooks in the Analytics project, and which are uncertified?"_
- _"Run impact_analysis on the 'Profit Ratio' field: every dependent sheet, dashboard, workbook, and owner to notify."_
- _"What is the blast radius of dropping the DIM_CUSTOMER table: workbooks, sheets, and owners to notify?"_

## Architecture

<p align="center"><img src="docs/images/architecture.svg" alt="Architecture" width="900"></p>

The server speaks MCP over **stdio** to the client and HTTPS to Tableau: it signs in with your PAT to get an `X-Tableau-Auth` token (auto-refreshed on expiry), auto-detects the REST API version and the GraphQL endpoint, then forwards queries to the Metadata API. Nothing is stored; every answer is live.

## Security

- **Read-only, enforced.** Only GraphQL queries: no writes, no shell. `graphql_query` rejects `mutation`/`subscription` operations, and the Metadata API is query-only regardless.
- **Local and stdio-only.** No inbound network port is opened.
- **Secrets from env only.** Never passed as tool arguments, never logged, never returned in output.
- **Least privilege.** The PAT inherits your Tableau permissions; the API only returns content you can see.
- Pin a version in production: `uvx tableau-graphql-mcp==0.1.0`.

See [SECURITY.md](SECURITY.md).

## Troubleshooting

| Symptom | Fix |
|---|---|
| Server doesn't appear | Fully quit and relaunch the client; check the config path and JSON validity. |
| `spawn uvx ENOENT` | Install `uv`, or use the absolute path to `uvx`. |
| Sign-in fails (401) | Check the PAT name/secret and `TABLEAU_SITE_CONTENT_URL`. On SSO tenants PATs may be disabled; use `TABLEAU_AUTH_TOKEN`/`TABLEAU_COOKIE`. |
| "Could not reach the Metadata API" | On Tableau **Server**, an admin must enable it: `tsm maintenance metadata-services enable`. On Cloud it is always on. |
| Empty `downstreamWorkbooks` | Expected without the Data Management add-on; use the `where_used` tool, which resolves via core lineage. |

Inspect the server directly with the MCP Inspector:

```bash
npx @modelcontextprotocol/inspector uvx tableau-graphql-mcp
```

## Development

```bash
git clone https://github.com/tdries/tableau-graphQL-mcp && cd tableau-graphQL-mcp
uv sync --all-extras
uv run tableau-graphql-mcp                     # run from source
uv run pytest --cov=tableau_graphql_mcp        # tests + coverage (offline; no Tableau needed)
uv run ruff check .                            # lint
uv run ruff format --check .                   # format
```

The same three gates (lint, format, tests with a 85% coverage floor) run in CI across
Linux/macOS/Windows and Python 3.10 to 3.13. Coverage is reported to Codecov and the code is
scanned by CodeQL on every push.

The same gates run in CI (Linux/macOS/Windows, Python 3.10 to 3.13): `ruff check`,
`ruff format --check`, `mypy --strict`, and `pytest` with a coverage floor. The package
ships a PEP 561 `py.typed` marker, so importing it gives your type checker full types.

Contributions welcome: see [CONTRIBUTING.md](CONTRIBUTING.md) and the [Code of Conduct](CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md).

## Roadmap

Shipped: published on [PyPI](https://pypi.org/project/tableau-graphql-mcp/) and listed on the
official [MCP registry](https://registry.modelcontextprotocol.io/v0/servers?search=tableau-graphql).
Next:

- [ ] Optional Data Management path: richer `downstreamWorkbooks` when Catalog is present
- [ ] More curated query templates in `lineage_examples`
- [ ] Optional response caching for repeated introspection within a session

Ideas and votes welcome in [Discussions](https://github.com/tdries/tableau-graphQL-mcp/discussions).

## License

[MIT](LICENSE) © Tim Dries. Built at [Biztory](https://www.biztory.com).

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