The MongoDB MCP runs as a **local stdio server** connecting to your databases: - **Full Access by Default**: The server can execute any MongoDB operation including writes and deletes - **Read-Only Mode**: Add `--readOnly` flag to restrict to read operations only - **Connection Strings**: Your database credentials are passed via connection string or environment variables - **Atlas API Keys**: Atlas management features require API keys with appropriate permissions **Security best practices**: Use `--readOnly` mode for production databases, create dedicated database users with minimal permissions, never commit connection strings to version control, and consider using Atlas's IP access list for additional protection.

To start using the MongoDB MCP: 1. **Add the server**: Configure your AI client with `npx -y mongodb-mcp-server@latest` 2. **For read-only access**: Use `npx -y mongodb-mcp-server@latest --readOnly` 3. **Connect to your database**: Provide your MongoDB connection string when prompted 4. **Start querying**: Ask your AI to explore schemas, run queries, or manage Atlas resources **Example prompts**: - "List all collections in the production database" - "Find the top 10 users by order count" - "What indexes exist on the orders collection?"