Kafka Schema Registry MCP Server

How to use

You will run the MCP server alongside your Kafka Schema Registry and connect your MCP client to it. Use the HTTP-based connection when you want to point the MCP client at a remote registry URL, or use a local STDIO configuration if you run the MCP server locally. Typical workflows include listing registries, inspecting subjects and schemas, registering new schemas, checking compatibility, creating contexts for production or staging, exporting schemas for backups, and migrating schemas between registries. You can operate in SLIM_MODE to reduce tool overhead for faster responses, or in full mode to access the complete set of MCP tools.

How to install

# Prerequisites: Docker (recommended) or Python environment for local run

# Option A: Docker (recommended)
docker pull aywengo/kafka-schema-reg-mcp:stable

docker run -e SCHEMA_REGISTRY_URL=http://localhost:8081 -e SLIM_MODE=true aywengo/kafka-schema-reg-mcp:stable

# Option A (full feature set, without slim mode)
docker run -e SCHEMA_REGISTRY_URL=http://localhost:8081 aywengo/kafka-schema-reg-mcp:stable

# Option B: Local Python (if you prefer running locally without Docker)
git clone https://github.com/aywengo/kafka-schema-reg-mcp
cd kafka-schema-reg-mcp
pip install -r requirements.txt
python kafka_schema_registry_unified_mcp.py

# Option C: Docker Compose (for testing with Registry)
docker-compose up -d

Single vs multi-registry setup and security considerations

You can operate in a single-registry mode or enable multi-registry mode to manage up to eight registries. Single-registry mode uses a single SCHEMA_REGISTRY_URL, while multi-registry mode defines multiple registry names and URLs (for example development and production) with per-registry safety settings such as VIEWONLY to enforce read-only access in production. For production environments, enable VIEWONLY for the production registry and use proper authentication (OAuth 2.1) as described in the security guidance.

Configuration and security

Set global and per-registry options to control how the MCP server interacts with registries. You can enable SLIM_MODE to reduce the toolset exposed to clients for better performance, or disable it to access the full MCP tool suite for administrative tasks. Enable authentication via OAuth 2.1 when needed and configure safety features like VIEWONLY mode to protect production data. When configuring, specify the SCHEMA_REGISTRY_URL for the target registry and, if using multi-registry mode, provide per-registry URLs and safety settings.

Usage tips and troubleshooting

If you encounter slow response times, consider enabling SLIM_MODE to reduce the number of exposed tools. For long-running operations such as migrations or bulk exports, monitor task progress and use cancellation options if available. Ensure the SCHEMA_REGISTRY_URL is reachable from the environment where the MCP server runs, and verify that OAuth scopes match the required read/write/admin permissions for your use cases.

ping

MCP health check to ensure the server is responsive.

set_default_registry

Set the default registry to use for operations.

get_default_registry

Retrieve the current default registry.

register_schema

Register a new schema version into a subject.

check_compatibility

Check schema compatibility against a target registry context.

create_context

Create a new context to isolate environments like production or staging.

export_schema

Export a single schema for backup or documentation.

export_subject

Export all versions of a given subject.

export_global

Export all contexts and schemas across registries.

migrate_schema

Migrate a schema between registries (admin).