Getting Started with MCP

```bash

Install DreamFactory with MCP support using NPX

npx @dreamfactory/create-df-mcp ```

Or configure your existing DreamFactory instance as an MCP server. See the MCP Server documentation for setup instructions.

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Installation

DreamFactory can be installed on Linux, Windows, Docker, or Kubernetes.

Docker

The fastest way to get started. Spins up DreamFactory, MySQL, Redis, and a sample PostgreSQL database:

git clone https://github.com/dreamfactorysoftware/df-docker.git
cd df-docker
docker compose up -d

See the df-docker repository for full instructions.

NPX Quick Install

Our Node-based installer sets up DreamFactory with optional MCP server and a PostgreSQL test database:

npx @dreamfactory/create-df-mcp

See the NPX installer on npm for details.

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Use Cases

• API-first development — Generate REST APIs for existing databases without writing backend code
• AI and LLM data access — Connect ChatGPT, Claude, or local LLMs to enterprise data via MCP or REST APIs with governed access controls
• Legacy database modernization — Wrap SQL Server stored procedures, Oracle databases, and mainframe data in modern REST APIs
• Microservices backend — Replace hand-coded CRUD APIs with auto-generated, documented endpoints
• Mobile and web app backend — Provide secure, role-based data access for frontend applications
• Data integration — Combine multiple databases and services behind a single API gateway

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API Generation

• Automatic REST API creation for SQL and NoSQL databases — no code required
• OpenAPI/Swagger documentation generated automatically for every endpoint
• Stored procedure and function support — expose database logic as API endpoints
• Related data retrieval — fetch parent/child records in a single API call
• Server-side filtering, sorting, and pagination built into every endpoint
• Bulk insert, update, and delete operations for high-throughput data access

How does DreamFactory generate REST APIs?

DreamFactory connects to your database, introspects the schema (tables, views, stored procedures, relationships), and automatically generates a full set of REST endpoints with CRUD operations. Each endpoint is documented with an OpenAPI/Swagger specification. No code generation or compilation step is required — APIs are available immediately.

Can DreamFactory replace a custom backend API?

For standard CRUD operations, yes. DreamFactory generates feature-complete REST APIs with filtering, sorting, pagination, bulk operations, relationship handling, and stored procedure support. Custom business logic can be added via server-side scripting in PHP, Python, or Node.js.

MCP Server for AI and LLM Integration

DreamFactory includes a built-in MCP (Model Context Protocol) server that enables AI assistants and large language models to securely query your databases through governed API endpoints.

FAQ