DataWorks MCP server for AI agents

The DataWorks MCP Server implements the Model Context Protocol specification, allowing AI agents to interact with the DataWorks Open API through a standardized interface. This server enables seamless cloud resource management and operations for AI applications.

Prerequisites

Node.js (v16 or higher)
pnpm (recommended), npm, or yarn
DataWorks Open API with access key and secret key

Installation

Install from npm

# Install globally
npm install -g alibabacloud-dataworks-mcp-server

# Or install locally in your project
npm install alibabacloud-dataworks-mcp-server

Configuration

MCP Server Configuration

If you installed via npm:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "alibabacloud-dataworks-mcp-server": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["alibabacloud-dataworks-mcp-server"],
      "env": {
        "REGION": "your_dataworks_open_api_region_id_here",
        "ALIBABA_CLOUD_ACCESS_KEY_ID": "your_alibaba_cloud_access_key_id",
        "ALIBABA_CLOUD_ACCESS_KEY_SECRET": "your_alibaba_cloud_access_key_secret"
      },
      "disabled": false,
      "autoApprove": []
    }
  }
}

Environment Setup

Set the following environment variables:

# DataWorks Configuration
REGION=your_dataworks_open_api_region_id_here
NODE_ENV=development_or_product
ALIBABA_CLOUD_ACCESS_KEY_ID=your_alibaba_cloud_access_key_id
ALIBABA_CLOUD_ACCESS_KEY_SECRET=your_alibaba_cloud_access_key_secret

Available Tools

The MCP server provides various DataWorks tools which can be found at dataworks.data.aliyun.com/dw-pop-mcptools.

Troubleshooting

If you encounter issues:

Verify your Aliyun Open API access key and secret key are correct
Check your region ID is correct
Ensure you're on the intended network (mainnet, testnet, or devnet)
Verify the build was successful

Security Considerations

Keep your private key secure and never share it
Use environment variables for sensitive information
Regularly monitor and audit AI agent activities

How to add this MCP server to Cursor

There are two ways to add an MCP server to Cursor. The most common way is to add the server globally in the ~/.cursor/mcp.json file so that it is available in all of your projects.

If you only need the server in a single project, you can add it to the project instead by creating or adding it to the .cursor/mcp.json file.

Adding an MCP server to Cursor globally

To add a global MCP server go to Cursor Settings > MCP and click "Add new global MCP server".

When you click that button the ~/.cursor/mcp.json file will be opened and you can add your server like this:

{
    "mcpServers": {
        "cursor-rules-mcp": {
            "command": "npx",
            "args": [
                "-y",
                "cursor-rules-mcp"
            ]
        }
    }
}

Adding an MCP server to a project

To add an MCP server to a project you can create a new .cursor/mcp.json file or add it to the existing one. This will look exactly the same as the global MCP server example above.

How to use the MCP server

Once the server is installed, you might need to head back to Settings > MCP and click the refresh button.

The Cursor agent will then be able to see the available tools the added MCP server has available and will call them when it needs to.

You can also explictly ask the agent to use the tool by mentioning the tool name and describing what the function does.