Install
claude mcp add --scope user --transport http aiven-mcp "https://mcp.aiven.live/mcp?read_only=true"Who it is for
If you want to manage PostgreSQL, Apache Kafka, applications, and other services on Aiven from an assistant, mcp-aiven fits. Officially named assistants include Claude, Cursor, and VS Code Copilot.
It fits people who already have an Aiven account and can finish browser authorization. Hosted entry:
https://mcp.aiven.live/mcp
Repository:
https://github.com/Aiven-Open/mcp-aiven
This service can create, change, and delete Aiven services and data on your behalf. The assistant may take destructive actions as it understands them (drop a database, delete a service, produce messages to Kafka). Responsibility is yours. The first try must be read-only.
First try in 3 minutes
The official main path is hosted HTTP; do not configure a local token first. Prerequisites: a browser session already signed into Aiven. The client will ask you to authorize. Read-only mode removes all write operations from MCP. Read-only URL:
https://mcp.aiven.live/mcp?read_only=true
Install as a user-level MCP item in Claude Code. The first add uses the read-only URL (keep the official add command's transport and name, only swap in the official read-only URL):
claude mcp add --scope user --transport http aiven-mcp "https://mcp.aiven.live/mcp?read_only=true"
After authorization, immediately make one evidenced real call instead of only checking that the endpoint is up: ask the assistant to query existing PostgreSQL services under your account (official capability is managing PostgreSQL). The excerpt does not give tool function names, so do not shout an invented list_*; ask in terms of “PostgreSQL services” and let the registered read-only tools return service information.
Observable success: the assistant names at least one project or PostgreSQL service name/status, or clearly says the account has none. If you only get “connected” with no service-query result, this try is not finished.
Usage examples
Example 1: View PostgreSQL services. The capability is managing Aiven PostgreSQL directly. Under read_only=true, let the assistant read instance names, status, or connection-related read-only information. Official text does not write a field table. Do not drop a database.
Example 2: View Apache Kafka services. The capability is managing Kafka. Likewise query cluster or service status read-only. The officially named dangerous write is producing messages; write operations should be excluded in read-only mode, and you still must not ask to produce messages or delete services.
applications and other Aiven services are also named as manageable, but do not expand to writes on the first try.
Limits
The local alternative is npx -y mcp-aiven under Node.js 18+, with AIVEN_TOKEN set. That is not the first-try main path. Do not paste illustrative token values from the docs.
The full hosted URL can also omit the read-only parameter, but then write tools register. Access follows the authorized Aiven user. No cloud vendors outside the named services are written.
read_only=true is not zero risk: it still reads your cloud projects, and authorization opens Aiven. Do not invent tool names that do not appear.