Apache Pinot + JetBrains AI Assistant: Complete MCP Integration

Apache Pinot is a MCP server that MCP server for Apache Pinot real-time analytics database with SQL query capabilities and metadata access.

When integrated with JetBrains AI Assistant, you can:

• List and inspect Apache Pinot tables
• View and analyze table segments
• Retrieve and analyze table schemas

This guide provides step-by-step instructions to set up Apache Pinot in JetBrains AI Assistant, including configuration, examples, and troubleshooting.

What You'll Achieve

After completing this setup:

• Apache Pinot will be fully integrated and operational
• You can use Apache Pinot tools directly in JetBrains AI Assistant
• All Apache Pinot capabilities will be available for your workflows
• Access to 5 different tools

Prerequisites

Before starting, ensure you have:

• Apache Pinot broker hostname
• Apache Pinot broker port
• JetBrains AI Assistant installed and configured
• Compatible operating system (Windows, macOS, Linux)

Installation

Step 1: Install Apache Pinot

Configuration

Step 2: Configure JetBrains AI Assistant

1. Locate your configuration file:

   • Windows: Settings > Tools > AI Assistant > Model Context Protocol (MCP)
   • macOS: Preferences > Tools > AI Assistant > Model Context Protocol (MCP)
   • Linux: Settings > Tools > AI Assistant > Model Context Protocol (MCP)

2. Add server configuration:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "apache-pinot": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "apache-pinot"],
      "env": {
        "PINOT_BROKER_HOST": "localhost",
        "PINOT_BROKER_PORT": "9000"
      }
    }
  }
}

3. Restart JetBrains AI Assistant

Completely quit and restart JetBrains AI Assistant to load the new configuration.

Examples

Once configured, you can use Apache Pinot in JetBrains AI Assistant:

List All Tables

Get overview of available Pinot tables

Ask JetBrains AI Assistant: "Show me all the tables available in the Pinot cluster"

Expected Result: List of table names with basic metadata and schema information

Execute Analytics Query

Run SQL query for real-time analytics

Ask JetBrains AI Assistant: "SELECT COUNT(*) FROM events WHERE timestamp > now() - 3600000"

Expected Result: Query results showing event count for last hour

Analyze Table Structure

Get detailed schema information for a table

Ask JetBrains AI Assistant: "Show me the schema and structure of the user_events table"

Expected Result: Table schema with column names, types, and index information

Generate Data Visualization

Create histogram plots from query results

Ask JetBrains AI Assistant: "Create a histogram showing user activity distribution by hour"

Expected Result: Histogram visualization with data aggregated by time buckets

Testing Your Setup

1. Start a new conversation in JetBrains AI Assistant
2. Ask JetBrains AI Assistant to list available tools
3. Try using Apache Pinot functionality

Test prompts:

• "Type / and look for Apache Pinot tools in the command list"
• "Ask AI Assistant to use Apache Pinot for a specific task"
• "Check the MCP settings page for connection status indicator"

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

uv Command Not Found

Symptoms: Command not found error, uv: command not found

Cause: uv package manager not installed

Solution:

• Install uv using: curl -LsSf https://astral.sh/uv/install.sh | sh
• Restart terminal or source shell configuration
• Verify installation with: uv --version

Pinot Connection Failed

Symptoms: Connection refused, Broker unreachable, Network timeout

Cause: Invalid Pinot broker configuration or cluster not running

Solution:

• Verify PINOT_BROKER_HOST and PINOT_BROKER_PORT in .env file
• Check Pinot cluster is running and accessible
• Test connection: telnet <broker_host> <broker_port>
• Ensure firewall allows connections to Pinot broker

Environment Variables Not Loaded

Symptoms: Config missing errors, Default values being used

Cause: .env file not found or incorrectly formatted

Solution:

• Create .env file in repository root directory
• Copy from .env.example and modify values
• Ensure no spaces around = in variable assignments
• Restart MCP server after configuration changes

Claude Desktop Not Recognizing Server

Symptoms: Server not appearing, Connection errors in Claude

Cause: Incorrect claude_desktop_config.json configuration

Solution:

• Verify path to uv binary in command field
• Ensure correct path to mcp-pinot repository
• Restart Claude Desktop after configuration changes
• Check Claude Desktop logs for error messages

MCP Server Not Connecting

Symptoms: Server status shows disconnected, Tools not appearing in chat, Connection timeout

Cause: Server configuration incorrect or server not starting

Solution:

• Verify server command is correct and executable
• Check environment variables are set properly
• View MCP logs: Help > Show Log in Explorer > mcp folder
• Test server command in terminal manually

Remote Server Not Supported

Symptoms: HTTP server not connecting, SSE transport errors

Cause: AI Assistant only supports stdio transport for client connections

Solution:

• Use mcp-remote proxy for remote servers
• Configuration: npx -y mcp-remote@latest https://server-url/endpoint
• This wraps HTTP/SSE in stdio transport

Import from Claude Not Working

Symptoms: No servers imported, Configuration empty after import

Cause: Claude Desktop config file not found or in unexpected location

Solution:

• Verify Claude Desktop is installed
• Check config exists at ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json (macOS)
• Or %APPDATA%/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json (Windows)
• Manually copy configuration if auto-import fails

External Client Cannot Connect to IDE Server

Symptoms: Client shows MCP server unavailable, Connection refused

Cause: IDE MCP server not enabled or client not configured

Solution:

• Enable MCP Server in Settings > Tools > MCP Server
• Use Auto-Configure for supported clients
• Restart both IDE and external client
• Check firewall allows local connections

Brave Mode Commands Not Running

Symptoms: Terminal commands require confirmation, Workflow interrupted by prompts

Cause: Brave mode not enabled

Solution:

• Enable in Settings > Tools > MCP Server
• Check "Run shell commands without confirmation (brave mode)"
• Use with caution - commands run without confirmation

Apache Pinot not appearing in JetBrains AI Assistant

Symptoms: Server not listed, Tools not available

Cause: Configuration or installation issue

Solution:

• Verify configuration syntax
• Check Apache Pinot installation
• Restart JetBrains AI Assistant
• Check logs for error messages

Next Steps

Now that Apache Pinot is integrated with JetBrains AI Assistant:

• Explore all Apache Pinot capabilities through JetBrains AI Assistant
• Check out other MCP servers that work with JetBrains AI Assistant
• Join the MCP community for tips and support
• Consider contributing to Apache Pinot development

Need Help?

• Search for Apache Pinot documentation
• Check the JetBrains AI Assistant MCP guide
• Join the MCP community discussions