Grist API
MCP server implementation for Grist API integration
What is Grist API?
Grist API is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that allows AI assistants like Claude, Cursor, and VS Code to mcp server implementation for grist api integration
MCP server implementation for Grist API integration
This server falls under the Databases category on MCPgee, the world's largest MCP server directory with 33,000+ servers.
Features
- MCP server implementation for Grist API integration
Use Cases
Maintainer
Works with
Installation
Manual Installation
npx gristConfiguration
Configuration Details
claude_desktop_config.json
Performance
Response Metrics
Resource Usage
How to Set Up and Use Grist API
The Grist MCP server exposes Grist's spreadsheet-database to AI assistants through the Model Context Protocol, enabling you to list organizations, workspaces, and documents, inspect table schemas, and read, insert, update, or delete records — all through natural language. Grist is an open-source alternative to Airtable and Google Sheets that stores structured data in relational tables, and this server lets Claude act as a data analyst or data-entry assistant against those tables without writing any code.
Prerequisites
- Python 3.8 or higher installed
- A Grist account (cloud at docs.getgrist.com or self-hosted) and an API key from your Grist profile settings
- pip package manager
- An MCP-compatible client such as Claude Desktop
Install the mcp-server-grist package
Install directly from PyPI. This installs the grist_mcp_server module and its dependencies.
pip install mcp-server-gristObtain a Grist API key
Log in to your Grist instance, click your profile avatar, choose Profile Settings, and scroll to the API section to generate a key. For the cloud instance the API host is https://docs.getgrist.com/api.
Set environment variables
Export your credentials so the server can authenticate with Grist. Set GRIST_API_KEY to your personal API key and GRIST_API_HOST to the Grist API base URL.
export GRIST_API_KEY="your_grist_api_key_here"
export GRIST_API_HOST="https://docs.getgrist.com/api"Test the server locally
Run the module directly to confirm it connects to Grist without errors before wiring it into your MCP client.
python -m grist_mcp_serverConfigure Claude Desktop
Add the server to claude_desktop_config.json, passing your credentials as environment variables inside the config block.
{
"mcpServers": {
"grist": {
"command": "python",
"args": ["-m", "grist_mcp_server"],
"env": {
"GRIST_API_KEY": "your_grist_api_key_here",
"GRIST_API_HOST": "https://docs.getgrist.com/api"
}
}
}
}Restart Claude Desktop
Fully quit and relaunch Claude Desktop. The Grist server should now appear as an available tool.
Grist API Examples
Client configuration
Complete claude_desktop_config.json block for the Grist MCP server.
{
"mcpServers": {
"grist": {
"command": "python",
"args": ["-m", "grist_mcp_server"],
"env": {
"GRIST_API_KEY": "YOUR_GRIST_API_KEY",
"GRIST_API_HOST": "https://docs.getgrist.com/api"
}
}
}
}Prompts to try
Example prompts you can send to Claude once the Grist server is connected.
- "List all the workspaces I have access to in Grist."
- "Show me the columns in the Customers table of my CRM document."
- "Find all records in the Orders table where Status is 'Pending'."
- "Add a new record to the Contacts table with name 'Jane Doe' and email '[email protected]'."
- "Delete all rows in the Archive table where the date is before 2023-01-01."Troubleshooting Grist API
403 Forbidden when listing organizations or documents
Verify GRIST_API_KEY is correct and belongs to an account that has access to the document you are querying. Each Grist team or personal account has its own API key.
Connection refused or GRIST_API_HOST error
For the hosted Grist service use 'https://docs.getgrist.com/api'. For a self-hosted instance replace the host with your server's URL (e.g. 'https://grist.mycompany.com/api'). Ensure the trailing '/api' path is included.
Module not found: grist_mcp_server
Run 'pip install mcp-server-grist' again and confirm success. If using a virtual environment, make sure it is activated when you run both the install and the server.
Frequently Asked Questions about Grist API
What is Grist API?
Grist API is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that mcp server implementation for grist api integration It connects AI assistants to external tools and data sources through a standardized interface.
How do I install Grist API?
Follow the installation instructions on the Grist API GitHub repository. Clone the repo, install dependencies, and add the server config to your AI client.
Which AI clients work with Grist API?
Grist API works with all major MCP-compatible AI clients including Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code (GitHub Copilot), Windsurf, and Cline.
Is Grist API free to use?
Yes, Grist API is open source and available under the MIT license. You can use it freely in both personal and commercial projects.
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Quick Config Preview
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