Netdata MCP Bridge - Python Implementation
This Python bridge converts MCP stdio communication to Netdata's MCP over WebSocket.
Requirements
- Python 3.7+
- websockets library
Installation
The easiest way to set up the Python bridge is to use the included build script, which creates a virtual environment (recommended for most Linux distributions where pip is restricted to virtual environments):
# Make the build script executable (if needed)
chmod +x build.sh
# Run the build script
./build.sh
The script will:
1. Check if Python 3 is installed
2. Create a virtual environment in the venv directory if it doesn't exist
3. Install the required websockets dependency in the virtual environment
4. Generate a requirements.txt file for reproducibility
Running with Virtual Environment
After running the build script:
# Activate the virtual environment
source venv/bin/activate
# Run the bridge
python nd-mcp.py ws://localhost:19999/mcp
# When finished, deactivate the virtual environment
deactivate
Or run it directly with the virtual environment's Python:
./venv/bin/python nd-mcp.py ws://localhost:19999/mcp
Manual Installation (without virtual environment)
If your system allows global pip installations:
pip install websockets
Usage
The script can be run directly as an executable (the shebang line will use the system's Python):
./nd-mcp.py ws://<ip>:19999/mcp
Or explicitly with Python:
python nd-mcp.py ws://<ip>:19999/mcp
When using a virtual environment, run it with the environment's Python:
./venv/bin/python nd-mcp.py ws://<ip>:19999/mcp
Where <ip> is either localhost or the IP address where a Netdata instance is listening.
Example with Claude Desktop
To use this bridge with Claude Desktop:
- In Claude Desktop settings, configure the Custom Command option:
python /path/to/stdio-python/nd-mcp.py ws://localhost:19999/mcp
- If your Netdata instance is running on a different machine, replace
localhostwith the appropriate IP address.
How It Works
The bridge: 1. Establishes a WebSocket connection to the specified Netdata MCP endpoint 2. Reads from standard input and sends to the WebSocket 3. Receives messages from the WebSocket and writes to standard output 4. Handles both directions simultaneously 5. Automatically reconnects if the connection is lost, with exponential backoff
Connection Reliability
This bridge implements robust connection handling:
- Automatic Reconnection: If the WebSocket connection is lost, the bridge will automatically attempt to reconnect
- Exponential Backoff: Reconnection attempts use exponential backoff with jitter to avoid overwhelming the server
- Message Queuing: Messages sent while disconnected are queued and delivered once reconnected
- Connection Status Logging: The bridge logs connection status to stderr for monitoring
The reconnection algorithm starts with a 1-second delay and doubles the wait time with each attempt, up to a maximum of 60 seconds. Random jitter is added to prevent connection storms.
Protocol Compatibility
- Netdata MCP implements the JSON-RPC 2.0 protocol
- Messages that don't conform to the JSON-RPC 2.0 format are silently ignored
- The bridge passes messages directly without any modification