API & Integration Reference

VDA can be used programmatically and by AI agents. Everything available through the API or MCP is subject to the same PBAC permissions as the web portal.

Model Context Protocol (MCP)

MCP lets AI agents such as Claude Desktop and Cursor call VDA tools for catalog discovery, SQL execution, lineage, data quality, and more.

• MCP & AI Agent Integration: generate a key and connect Claude Desktop or Cursor.
• MCP Tool Reference: the full catalog of tools, the authorization model, and API key details.

Authentication

Requests authenticate with a VDA API key (format vda_<64_hex_chars>):

• Header: x-api-key: vda_...
• Query parameter: ?token=vda_..., used for SSE-based MCP connections.

Keys are role-bound, can be scoped to specific datasources, and can be revoked at any time. See API Key Management.

Treat keys like passwords

Never commit a key to source control, paste it into a ticket, or include it in a screenshot. If a key is exposed, revoke it and generate a new one.

GraphQL and REST

Reference documentation for the GraphQL and REST APIs is planned and will be added here.