MCP cookbook

Use this cookbook to connect a coding harness or agent framework to Atlan MCP, confirm the tools it can use, and choose a safe first task.

​

Before you begin

You need access to the workspace where you will use the tools. Your client authenticates through its OAuth sign-in flow. Follow the client-specific guide for the appropriate setup.

​

Choose your client

Open the integration guide for the client that runs your agent. Each guide explains its connection settings, authentication, verification, and known limits.

​

Connect and discover tools

Configure the client to use Streamable HTTP at https://agentgateway.atlan.engineering/mcp, then complete its OAuth sign-in flow. A successful connection initializes the MCP session and lets the client list the tools available to the authenticated identity and workspace. Call registry__initialise once when a working session starts. Pass the returned mcp_session_id on later calls so reviewers can follow the session as one unit. The session ID is optional on each call. Tool schemas require a concise rationale by default; a Gateway operator can disable that requirement. The /mcp endpoint names tools as <server>__<tool>. Registry’s built-in search tool is therefore advertised as registry__search. Downstream server names vary by account. Read each tool’s description and input schema before using it. Select only the tools your workflow needs. A smaller tool set makes an agent easier to review and reduces the chance of an unintended change. Platform-provided tools can be owned by Registry or by an installed extension. Tools from registered downstream servers are discovered from their server. Your client’s live tools/list result is authoritative for callable names and input schemas, so inspect it before constructing a call.

​

Verify with a read-only task

Confirm that the client lists the expected tools, then use a read-only task before allowing a workflow to make changes. For example, search for an existing item or inspect an item the agent has already found. If the expected tools are missing, confirm the selected workspace and the client’s authentication before changing the workflow.

​

Manage servers and inspect the catalog

Use the MCP category in the API reference to list registered servers, inspect one server, test its availability, and browse the tool catalog. Use that reference when an application needs to manage a server or verify its tools outside an MCP client.

​

Use the tool reference

The tool pages in this tab describe Registry’s current built-in tools. They cover discovery, artifact lifecycle, containers, relationships, and aggregate trace statistics. Skill creation and reads now use the generic artifact tools. For a tool from a registered downstream server, inspect the server record and your live tools/list result before granting it to an agent.