Alation Connector for AI agents.

Q: Does this Connector support data lineage?

It uses the lineage tool to show you exactly where your data comes from and where it flows. This helps with impact analysis and data provenance.

Q: How do I find my Alation API Access Token?

Log in to Alation, click on your user avatar, and go to Account Settings > Authentication. You can generate a Refresh Token there, which can then be used to obtain short-lived Access Tokens for the API.

Q: Can I search for specific table types?

Yes! The searchcatalog tool allows you to apply filters by object type (otype), such as table, schema, or attribute. This ensures your search results are highly relevant.

10 live capabilities

Search your data catalog and audit metadata through natural conversation.

Live agent request Alation / Connector

Waiting for input…

AI Agent

Why people use Alation

Alation Data Catalog Metadata Discovery

This Connector changes that. Your agent can now browse the catalog for you. Just ask it for the table, and it uses search_catalog and list_columns to give you the answer immediately. You stop being a gatekeeper and start being a producer.

What Vinkius changes

You turn your data catalog into a conversational interface for your team.

Use it from Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor or another AI client you already have.

One account · 5,900+ Connectors

Real-world use case 01

Finding specific metrics

An analyst asks for tables with a specific metric.
Real-world use case 02

Checking query history

A BI lead needs to see the "Monthly Churn Report.
Real-world use case 03

Impact analysis

An engineer wants to know what happens if they change a source table.

Complete set · 10capabilities

The complete Alation capability set.

These are the exact actions your AI can choose when you ask it to work with Alation.

Capability set01 / 03

01—04

4 capabilities in this set.

Part of 10 available through Alation.

01 Capability
Get object metadata
Retrieve detailed metadata for any catalog object. It pulls descriptions, stewards, and tags.
02 Capability
List saved queries
See your list of saved SQL queries. This lets you quickly find previous work.
03 Capability
Get query results
Pull the cached results for a specific query. It saves you from re-running long executions.
04 Capability
Get lineage
Trace the data lineage of your assets. It shows you the flow from source to destination.

Capability set02 / 03

05—07

3 capabilities in this set.

Part of 10 available through Alation.

05 Capability
Search catalog
Search for specific data assets using keywords. It helps you find the right tables quickly.
06 Capability
List data sources
Get a list of all data sources in your catalog. This provides a bird's-eye view of your environment.
07 Capability
List schemas
List all schemas within a specific data source. Use this to narrow down your search area.

Capability set03 / 03

08—10

3 capabilities in this set.

Part of 10 available through Alation.

08 Capability
List tables
See all tables in a given schema. It makes it easy to browse available datasets.
09 Capability
List columns
View the columns for a specific table. This helps you understand the data structure at a glance.
10 Capability
List custom fields
List your custom governance fields. This helps you audit your catalog's specific rules.

Set up in minutes

One URL. Then ask Alation to work.

Claude and ChatGPT only need the Connector URL. Copy it once, add it in settings, and use Alation from the conversation.

Choose your client

Live preview

Advanced clients IDE · CLI

Claude · Web + desktop

Official guide ↗

Connector URL · ready to paste

Streamable HTTP

https://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_8VHGSbAhhvN5kGfdH8a7GkXgqXEw9UGUjyhVqE7B/mcp

Step 01

Open Connectors

In Claude Web or Claude Desktop, open Settings and choose Connectors.
Step 02

Add the URL

Choose Add custom connector, name it Alation, and paste the URL above.
Step 03

Turn it on in chat

Select +, open Connectors, and enable Alation for the conversation.

ChatGPT · Web + desktop

Official guide ↗

Connector URL · ready to paste

Streamable HTTP

https://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_8VHGSbAhhvN5kGfdH8a7GkXgqXEw9UGUjyhVqE7B/mcp

Step 01

Open MCP settings

On desktop, open Settings and MCP servers. On web, open your workspace app or connector settings.
Step 02

Add the URL

Choose Add server with Streamable HTTP, or create a custom MCP app, then paste the Alation URL.
Step 03

Save and start

Save the connection and enable Alation in your conversation. Desktop may ask you to restart once.

Cursor · IDE configuration

Official guide ↗

Advanced setup

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "alation": {
      "url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_8VHGSbAhhvN5kGfdH8a7GkXgqXEw9UGUjyhVqE7B/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Step 01

Open MCP Settings

Press Cmd+Shift+P (macOS) or Ctrl+Shift+P (Windows/Linux) → search "MCP Settings"
Step 02

Add the server config

Paste the JSON configuration above into the mcp.json file that opens
Step 03

Save the file

Cursor will automatically detect the new Connector
Step 04

Start using Alation

Open Agent mode in chat and ask: "Using Alation, help me...". 10 tools available

VS Code Copilot · IDE configuration

Official guide ↗

Advanced setup

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "alation": {
      "url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_8VHGSbAhhvN5kGfdH8a7GkXgqXEw9UGUjyhVqE7B/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Step 01

Create MCP config

Create a .vscode/mcp.json file in your project root
Step 02

Add the server config

Paste the JSON configuration above
Step 03

Enable Agent mode

Open GitHub Copilot Chat and switch to Agent mode using the dropdown
Step 04

Start using Alation

Ask Copilot: "Using Alation, help me...". 10 tools available

Windsurf · IDE configuration

Official guide ↗

Advanced setup

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "alation": {
      "url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_8VHGSbAhhvN5kGfdH8a7GkXgqXEw9UGUjyhVqE7B/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Step 01

Open MCP Settings

Go to Settings → MCP Configuration or press Cmd+Shift+P and search "MCP"
Step 02

Add the server

Paste the JSON configuration above into mcp_config.json
Step 03

Save and reload

Windsurf will detect the new server automatically
Step 04

Start using Alation

Open Cascade and ask: "Using Alation, help me...". 10 tools available

Cline · IDE configuration

Official guide ↗

Advanced setup

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "alation": {
      "url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_8VHGSbAhhvN5kGfdH8a7GkXgqXEw9UGUjyhVqE7B/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Step 01

Open Cline MCP Settings

Click the Connectors icon in the Cline sidebar panel
Step 02

Add remote server

Click "Add Connector" and paste the configuration above
Step 03

Enable the server

Toggle the server switch to ON
Step 04

Start using Alation

Ask Cline: "Using Alation, help me...". 10 tools available

Claude Code · Terminal command

Official guide ↗

Advanced setup

claude mcp add alation --transport http "https://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_8VHGSbAhhvN5kGfdH8a7GkXgqXEw9UGUjyhVqE7B/mcp"

Step 01

Install Claude Code

Run npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code if not already installed
Step 02

Add the Connector

Run the command above in your terminal
Step 03

Verify the connection

Run claude mcp to list connected servers, or type /mcp inside a session
Step 04

Start using Alation

Ask Claude: "Using Alation, show me...". 10 tools are ready

Where the request belongs

Work Alation can move forward.

Built around the request

This is for the data professional who's tired of being the human search engine for the company. It's for the people who need to find, audit, and understand enterprise data without the friction of a clunky UI.

Data Analyst

Finds the right tables for a new report without bugging out the engineering team.

Data Governor

Audits metadata completion and checks governance tags across the entire catalog.

Data Engineer

Traces lineage to see the impact of a schema change before it breaks a dashboard.

Build the capability set

Each Connector adds new actions and data without changing how you work.

Browse Connectors

01 10 capabilities

data.world

Equip your AI agent to discover and manage data assets, projects, and queries directly via the data.world API.

View Connector

02 6 capabilities

Atlan

Search and discover data assets, business glossaries, classifications, policies, and personas directly via your AI agent.

View Connector

03 10 capabilities

Collibra

Enable your AI agent to manage data assets, domains, and communities via the Collibra Data Intelligence API.

View Connector

04 6 capabilities

Starburst

Connect your AI to Starburst Enterprise. Query federated data lakes, manage access roles, and orchestrate complex data environments seamlessly.

View Connector

05 6 capabilities

Matillion (Cloud Data Integration & ELT)

Manage data pipelines via Matillion. audit ETL workflows, track execution statuses, and monitor cloud environments.

View Connector

06 7 capabilities

Metabase (Business Intelligence & Analytics)

Manage your BI environment via Metabase. list dashboards, retrieve visual questions (cards), and search data entities.

View Connector

Bring your own AI

Change the model, client or framework. Keep Alation connected.

Claude
ChatGPT
Gemini
Cursor
VS Code
Windsurf
ZCode
Cline
Zed
Continue
Kiro
Roo Code
Zencoder
Goose
Void
Augment Code
Amp
Qodo
Tabnine
Pieces
Sourcegraph Cody
JetBrains
Warp
Amazon Q
Antigravity
BoltAI
Raycast
Jan
LM Studio
AnythingLLM
Open WebUI
Msty
Cherry Studio
LibreChat
TypingMind
Chorus
5ire
n8n
LangChain
LlamaIndex
CrewAI
Vercel AI SDK

Before you connect

Questions about Alation.

The practical details behind the request, access and result.

Can the Alation MCP help my team find data faster?

Yes, it lets your agent search for tables and schemas using plain English. This means your team can find the right data assets without manual searching.

Does this Connector support data lineage?

It uses the lineage capability to show you exactly where your data comes from and where it flows. This helps with impact analysis and data provenance.

Can I see my saved SQL queries?

Yes, your agent can list your saved queries and even pull cached results from Alation Compose. It's a great way to quickly access previous work.

How does this help with data governance?

It allows you to audit metadata, stewards, and custom governance fields across your catalog. You can check compliance across hundreds of objects in seconds.

Can my agent understand my table schemas?

Yes, it can list columns and get object metadata to understand your data structure. This helps your agent write more accurate SQL for your reports.

Is this for searching my live database?

No, this is for searching your Alation data catalog and metadata, not for running live SQL on your production database.

How do I find my Alation API Access Token?

Log in to Alation, click on your user avatar, and go to Account Settings > Authentication. You can generate a Refresh Token there, which can then be used to obtain short-lived Access Tokens for the API.

Can I search for specific table types?

Yes! The search_catalog capability allows you to apply filters by object type (otype), such as table, schema, or attribute. This ensures your search results are highly relevant.

Does this support viewing data lineage?

Yes, the get_lineage capability retrieves technical metadata describing the relationships and data flow between different assets in your catalog.

One connection away

Give your agent a direct line to Alation.

Connect Alation once. Keep it beside 5,900+ managed Connectors when the next task needs more.

Explore every Connector No credit card required · Free tier available

Alation Data Catalog Metadata Discovery

You turn your data catalog into a conversational interface for your team.

Finding specific metrics

Checking query history

Impact analysis

Get object metadata

List saved queries

Get query results

Get lineage

Search catalog

List data sources

List schemas

List tables

List columns

List custom fields

Open Connectors

Add the URL

Turn it on in chat

Open MCP settings

Add the URL

Save and start

Open MCP Settings

Add the server config

Save the file

Start using Alation

Create MCP config

Add the server config

Enable Agent mode

Start using Alation

Open MCP Settings

Add the server

Save and reload

Start using Alation

Open Cline MCP Settings

Add remote server

Enable the server

Start using Alation

Install Claude Code

Add the Connector

Verify the connection

Start using Alation

Data Analyst

Data Governor

Data Engineer

data.world

Atlan

Collibra

Starburst

Matillion (Cloud Data Integration & ELT)

Metabase (Business Intelligence & Analytics)

Give your agent a direct line to Alation.