DreamFactory MCP Integration Kit

This package functions as an MCP (Model Context Protocol) server specifically engineered for interfacing DreamFactory APIs with Anthropic's Claude environment.

Rapid Deployment via Desktop Extension (Claude Desktop Exclusive)

The simplest onboarding method involves downloading the latest Desktop Extension file from the project's releases page. These are specialized .dxt files formatted by Anthropic. Double-click the downloaded file to initiate installation, provided you have Claude Desktop already installed. Upon execution, the installer will request confirmation:

[Installation Prompt Image]

Confirm by clicking Install. Subsequently, you will be prompted to provide your essential DreamFactory credentials (API key and service endpoint URL):

[Configuration Prompt Image]

If these details are not immediately accessible, selecting Cancel is acceptable; configuration can be finalized later via the Settings pane under the 'Extensions' tab, followed by clicking Configure.

Regardless of the initial setup path, the DreamFactory MCP Server must be manually activated by toggling the 'Disabled' status switch to 'Enabled'.

Alternative: Manual Setup Procedure

1. Source Acquisition & Dependency Installation: bash git clone https://github.com/dreamfactorysoftware/df-mcp.git cd df-mcp npm install

2. Build Artifact Generation: bash npm run build

Configuring Claude Desktop Manually

1. Obtain and launch Claude Desktop via https://claude.ai/download.

2. Access the 'Settings' menu within the application.

3. Navigate to the 'Developer' section.

4. Choose 'Edit Config' to modify the underlying configuration structure.

5. Integrate the subsequent JSON structure to register the DreamFactory MCP server: json { "mcpServers": { "add": { "command": "node", "args": [ "/path/to/your/df-mcp/build/index.js" ], "env": { "DREAMFACTORY_URL": "https://your-instance.com/api/v2/<service-name>", "DREAMFACTORY_API_KEY": "YOUR_SECRET_KEY" } } } }

6. Crucial Step: Ensure the file path referenced in the args array accurately reflects the location where you cloned and built the df-mcp repository.

7. Populate the DREAMFACTORY_URL and DREAMFACTORY_API_KEY environment variables within the configuration object with your specific credentials.

8. Save the modified configuration file and initiate a restart of the Claude Desktop application.

Node Versioning Caveats (NVM/Herd Interactions)

DreamFactory MCP mandates Node.js version 22.10.0 or newer. Users employing Node Version Manager (NVM), or development environments like Laravel Herd which alter environment paths, might experience runtime conflicts where Claude utilizes an incompatible Node version.

If server logs indicate the incorrect Node executable is being invoked, this can be bypassed by wrapping the correct Node invocation within a dedicated shell script. For instance, create /usr/local/bin/node-for-claude.sh:

#!/bin/zsh
source ~/.zshrc
exec /Applications/Herd/config/nvm/versions/node/v22.17.1/bin/node 

Make the script executable:

$ chmod +x node-for-claude.sh

Finally, update the Claude Desktop configuration file (e.g., claude_desktop_config.json) to utilize this script as the command entry point:

{
  "mcpServers": {
        "df-mcp": {
            "command": "/usr/local/bin/node-for-claude.sh",
            "args": [
                "/path/to/your/df-mcp/build/index.js"
            ],
            "env": {
               "DREAMFACTORY_URL": "<URL>",
                "DREAMFACTORY_API_KEY": "<API_KEY>"
            }
        }
  }
}

Operationalizing the Server

Once configuration is finalized, the DreamFactory MCP server becomes accessible to Claude Desktop, allowing users to invoke DreamFactory functionalities via natural language prompts within the interface.

Containerized Deployment via Docker

Image Creation

Execute the following command to build the necessary Docker image:

docker build -t df-mcp .

Claude Desktop Configuration Update

Adjust your local Claude Desktop configuration file (claude_desktop_config.json):

File Paths: - macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json - Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json - Linux: ~/.config/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

Configuration Snippet:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "dreamfactory-mcp": {
      "command": "docker",
      "args": [
        "run",
        "--rm",
        "-i",
        "--env", "DREAMFACTORY_URL=https://your-instance.com/api/v2/<service-name>",
        "--env", "DREAMFACTORY_API_KEY=your-key-here",
        "dreamfactory-mcp:latest"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Activation

Ensure Claude Desktop is relaunched to incorporate the new MCP server definition.

Verification

Use the provided utility script to confirm successful Docker integration:

./test-docker.sh

This script validates image integrity, command response to MCP protocols, and correct tool registration.

Development Notes

• Source code resides in the src directory.
• Compiled output is found in the build directory.
• Use npm start to initiate the built server directly for testing.

Security Disclosure

Report any discovered security vulnerabilities via email to security@dreamfactory.com.

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