{
 "categories": [
  "business-intelligence",
  "dashboards",
  "reporting"
 ],
 "deployment": "hybrid",
 "evidence": [
  {
   "date": "2026-09-17",
   "fact": "homepage",
   "note": "Metabase presents open-source AI analytics with Cloud or self-hosted deploy, MCP, CLI, and APIs. The homepage shows docker run metabase/metabase.",
   "source": "https://www.metabase.com/",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-17",
   "fact": "license",
   "note": "Metabase ships a free AGPL-licensed Open Source edition and paid Starter, Pro, and Enterprise editions on Cloud or self-hosted.",
   "source": "https://www.metabase.com/llms.txt",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-17",
   "fact": "deployment",
   "note": "Metabase documents self-hosted Docker or JAR install and Metabase Cloud. MCP and the CLI work against either kind of instance.",
   "source": "https://www.metabase.com/",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-17",
   "fact": "modalities.api.exists",
   "note": "Metabase documents programmatic API access authenticated with API keys created under Admin > Settings > Authentication.",
   "source": "https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/people-and-groups/api-keys",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-17",
   "fact": "modalities.api.kinds[0]",
   "note": "The Agent API is a versioned REST API at /api/agent. The same docs distinguish it from the broader Metabase HTTP API.",
   "source": "https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/ai/agent-api",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-17",
   "fact": "modalities.api.auth[0]",
   "note": "API keys are sent as X-API-Key. The key inherits the selected group's permissions. Metabase cannot show the key again after creation.",
   "source": "https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/people-and-groups/api-keys",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-17",
   "fact": "modalities.api.auth[1]",
   "note": "Session auth posts username and password to POST /api/session and sends the returned id as X-Metabase-Session.",
   "source": "https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/ai/agent-api",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-17",
   "fact": "modalities.api.auth[2]",
   "note": "JWT Bearer authentication (Authorization: Bearer <jwt>) is documented only on Pro and Enterprise when JWT SSO is configured. The JWT must be under 180 seconds old.",
   "source": "https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/ai/agent-api",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-17",
   "fact": "modalities.api.coverage",
   "note": "Metabase says it does not version the general API and rarely removes endpoints. The Agent API is versioned and covers search, inspect, construct, and execute. Coverage is partial relative to the full editor.",
   "source": "https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/people-and-groups/api-keys",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-17",
   "fact": "modalities.api.docs",
   "note": "Opened as the current Agent API guide, including auth methods, the statement that Agent API powers the MCP server, and that admins enable Agent API under Admin > AI > MCP.",
   "source": "https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/ai/agent-api",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-17",
   "fact": "modalities.mcp.first_party",
   "note": "Metabase documents a built-in MCP server at /api/metabase-mcp. Admins enable it under Admin > AI > MCP. AI features must also be on. Available on all plans.",
   "source": "https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/ai/mcp",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-17",
   "fact": "modalities.cli.exists",
   "note": "Official CLI mb installs as npm install -g @metabase/cli, authenticates with browser login or an API key, and reads and writes questions, dashboards, collections, and transforms. Requires Metabase 58+.",
   "source": "https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/installation-and-operation/metabase-cli",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-17",
   "fact": "modalities.data_access.export[0]",
   "note": "Agent API query endpoints return JSON rows with column metadata. Pages are 200 rows with a continuation_token. The MCP query tool also caps result sets at 2,000 rows.",
   "source": "https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/ai/agent-api",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-17",
   "fact": "modalities.data_access.import[0]",
   "note": "MCP write tools create and update questions, dashboards, and collections. The CLI writes the same content over the API.",
   "source": "https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/ai/mcp",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-17",
   "fact": "modalities.agent_docs.llms_txt",
   "note": "Metabase publishes https://www.metabase.com/llms.txt covering MCP, CLI, API keys, and edition differences. docs.latest/llms.txt is a separate documentation index.",
   "source": "https://www.metabase.com/llms.txt",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-17",
   "fact": "verdict.scores.api",
   "note": "Unversioned REST with API keys and session auth does not need AI features. Agent API is versioned but enabled under Admin > AI > MCP. JWT is Pro/Enterprise. That mix keeps the path at 8.",
   "source": "https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/ai/agent-api",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-17",
   "fact": "verdict.scores.mcp",
   "note": "Official instance MCP has query, search, and write tools and OAuth. Admin enablement, the AI-features toggle, optional execute_sql disablement, and a 2,000-row query cap keep it at 8. Localhost notes are for connecting to a local Metabase instance, not a separate MCP binary.",
   "source": "https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/ai/mcp",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-17",
   "fact": "verdict.scores.cli",
   "note": "Official mb CLI is documented for agents, supports non-interactive API-key login, and needs Metabase 58+. git-sync and some command groups need Pro or Enterprise.",
   "source": "https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/installation-and-operation/metabase-cli",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-17",
   "fact": "freshness.watch[0].url",
   "note": "Opened and verified as Metabase's current MCP server guide, including endpoint, tools, OAuth, and admin settings.",
   "source": "https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/ai/mcp",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-17",
   "fact": "freshness.watch[1].url",
   "note": "Opened and verified as the current AI overview: Metabot, MCP on all plans, and agent-driven development on Pro/Enterprise.",
   "source": "https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/ai/overview",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-17",
   "fact": "freshness.watch[2].url",
   "note": "Opened and verified as the current Agent API documentation, including the three auth methods.",
   "source": "https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/ai/agent-api",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-17",
   "fact": "freshness.watch[3].url",
   "note": "Opened and verified as the current Metabase CLI guide.",
   "source": "https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/installation-and-operation/metabase-cli",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-17",
   "fact": "freshness.watch[4].url",
   "note": "Opened and verified as Metabase's current site-level agent documentation index.",
   "source": "https://www.metabase.com/llms.txt",
   "tier": "declared"
  }
 ],
 "freshness": {
  "last_verified": "2026-09-17",
  "volatility": "high",
  "watch": [
   {
    "type": "mcp",
    "url": "https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/ai/mcp"
   },
   {
    "type": "docs",
    "url": "https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/ai/overview"
   },
   {
    "type": "docs",
    "url": "https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/ai/agent-api"
   },
   {
    "type": "docs",
    "url": "https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/installation-and-operation/metabase-cli"
   },
   {
    "type": "docs",
    "url": "https://www.metabase.com/llms.txt"
   }
  ]
 },
 "homepage": "https://www.metabase.com/",
 "id": "metabase",
 "license": "open-source",
 "modalities": {
  "agent_docs": {
   "llms_txt": true
  },
  "api": {
   "auth": [
    "api-key",
    "session-token",
    "jwt"
   ],
   "coverage": "partial",
   "docs": "https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/ai/agent-api",
   "exists": true,
   "kinds": [
    "rest"
   ]
  },
  "cli": {
   "exists": true
  },
  "computer_use": {
   "issues": [],
   "viability": "unknown"
  },
  "data_access": {
   "export": [
    "json"
   ],
   "import": [
    "json"
   ]
  },
  "extensibility": {
   "scripting": [],
   "webhooks": "unknown"
  },
  "integrations": {
   "make": "unknown",
   "n8n": "unknown",
   "power_automate": "unknown",
   "zapier": "unknown"
  },
  "mcp": {
   "first_party": true,
   "third_party": [],
   "verdict": "official"
  },
  "rpa": {
   "drivability": "unknown",
   "notes": "No repeatable UI probe was run. Metabase's REST API, Agent API, instance MCP server, and official CLI cover query and content automation without browser control.\n",
   "ui_stack": [
    "web-dom"
   ],
   "vendor_support": []
  },
  "sdk": {
   "exists": "unknown",
   "languages": [],
   "official": "unknown"
  }
 },
 "name": "Metabase",
 "platforms": [
  "web"
 ],
 "related": {
  "alternatives": [
   "tableau",
   "power-bi",
   "looker",
   "qlik-sense"
  ],
  "our_products": []
 },
 "schema_version": 1,
 "score_version": 1,
 "status": "active",
 "vendor": "Metabase",
 "verdict": {
  "best_path": "api",
  "scores": {
   "api": 8,
   "cli": 7,
   "computer_use": null,
   "integrations": null,
   "mcp": 8,
   "overall": 8,
   "rpa": null
  },
  "summary": "Metabase is automatable today through its unversioned REST API and, when an admin enables Admin > AI > MCP, through the versioned Agent API that powers the instance MCP server. Programmatic clients send X-API-Key (permissions follow the key's group) or X-Metabase-Session after POST /api/session. JWT Bearer authentication is documented on Pro and Enterprise. Metabase states the general API is not versioned and does not require AI features. Admins enable Agent API under the same Admin > AI > MCP setting as the MCP server. Agent API query pages are 200 rows. A first-party MCP at https://{instance}/api/metabase-mcp is available on all plans when AI features are on and an admin enables the MCP toggle. Connecting to a Metabase that is only reachable on localhost is a client constraint, not a second official MCP product. Clients authenticate with OAuth 2.0 against Metabase's embedded OAuth server, scoped to the connecting person's permissions. Tools include search, construct and execute query, read_resource, create or update question and dashboard, and optional execute_sql (admins can disable it). The MCP query tool pages 200 rows and caps at 2,000. Official CLI mb (@metabase/cli) needs Metabase 58 or later and authenticates with browser login or an API key; git-sync and some other command groups need Pro or Enterprise. This record excludes Tableau, Power BI, Looker, and Qlik Sense. Computer-use viability is unassessed. API and MCP score 8. API is the best path because the general REST surface does not require the AI or MCP admin toggles.\n"
 }
}