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OpenCode

Configure SST's OpenCode to access your Netdata infrastructure through MCP for terminal-based AI-powered DevOps operations.

Transport Support​

OpenCode supports both local and remote MCP servers:

TransportSupportNetdata VersionUse Case
stdio (via nd-mcp bridge)✅ Fully Supportedv2.6.0+Local bridge to WebSocket
Streamable HTTP (remote)✅ Fully Supportedv2.7.2+Direct connection to Netdata's HTTP endpoint (recommended)
SSE (Server-Sent Events)⚠️ Limited Supportv2.7.2+Known issues with SSE servers
WebSocket❌ Not Supported-Use nd-mcp bridge or HTTP instead

Note: OpenCode has reported issues with SSE-based MCP servers (GitHub Issue #834). Use HTTP streamable transport for best compatibility.

Prerequisites​

  1. OpenCode installed - Available via npm, brew, or direct download from GitHub
  2. Netdata v2.6.0 or later with MCP support - Prefer a Netdata Parent to get infrastructure level visibility. Your AI Client (running on your desktop or laptop) needs to have direct network access to the Netdata IP and port (usually 19999).
    • v2.6.0 - v2.7.1: Only WebSocket transport available, requires nd-mcp bridge
    • v2.7.2+: Direct HTTP/SSE support available (recommended)
  3. For WebSocket or stdio connections: nd-mcp bridge - The stdio-to-websocket bridge. Find its absolute path. Not needed for direct HTTP connections on v2.7.2+.
  4. Optionally, the Netdata MCP API key that unlocks full access to sensitive observability data (protected functions, full access to logs) on your Netdata. Each Netdata Agent or Parent has its own unique API key for MCP - Find your Netdata MCP API key

Export ND_MCP_BEARER_TOKEN with your MCP key before launching OpenCode to keep secrets out of configuration files:

export ND_MCP_BEARER_TOKEN="$(cat /var/lib/netdata/mcp_dev_preview_api_key)"

Installation​

Install OpenCode using one of these methods:

# Using npm (recommended)
npm i -g opencode-ai@latest

# Using Homebrew
brew install sst/tap/opencode

# Using curl installation script
curl -fsSL https://opencode.ai/install.sh | bash

Configuration Methods​

OpenCode uses an opencode.json configuration file with MCP servers defined under the mcp key.

Connect directly to Netdata's HTTP endpoint without needing the nd-mcp bridge:

{
  "mcp": {
    "netdata": {
      "type": "remote",
      "url": "http://YOUR_NETDATA_IP:19999/mcp",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer NETDATA_MCP_API_KEY"
      },
      "enabled": true
    }
  }
}

For HTTPS connections:

{
  "mcp": {
    "netdata": {
      "type": "remote",
      "url": "https://YOUR_NETDATA_IP:19999/mcp",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer NETDATA_MCP_API_KEY"
      },
      "enabled": true
    }
  }
}

Method 2: Using nd-mcp Bridge (Local)​

For environments where you prefer or need to use the bridge:

{
  "mcp": {
    "netdata": {
      "type": "local",
      "command": ["/usr/sbin/nd-mcp", "ws://YOUR_NETDATA_IP:19999/mcp"],
      "enabled": true
    }
  }
}

Method 3: Using npx remote-mcp (Alternative Bridge for v2.7.2+)​

If nd-mcp is not available, use the official MCP remote client (requires Netdata v2.7.2+). For detailed options and troubleshooting, see Using MCP Remote Client.

{
  "mcp": {
    "netdata": {
      "type": "local",
      "command": [
        "npx",
        "mcp-remote@latest",
        "--http",
        "http://YOUR_NETDATA_IP:19999/mcp",
        "--allow-http",
        "--header",
        "Authorization: Bearer NETDATA_MCP_API_KEY"
      ],
      "enabled": true
    }
  }
}

Environment Variables​

OpenCode supports environment variables in local server configurations:

{
  "mcp": {
    "netdata": {
      "type": "local",
      "command": ["/usr/sbin/nd-mcp", "ws://YOUR_NETDATA_IP:19999/mcp"],
      "enabled": true,
      "environment": {
        "ND_MCP_BEARER_TOKEN": "your-api-key-here"
      }
    }
  }
}

For remote servers with environment variables:

{
  "mcp": {
    "netdata": {
      "type": "remote",
      "url": "https://YOUR_NETDATA_IP:19999/mcp",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer $\{NETDATA_API_KEY}"
      },
      "enabled": true
    }
  }
}

Replace in all examples:

  • YOUR_NETDATA_IP - IP address or hostname of your Netdata Agent/Parent
  • ND_MCP_BEARER_TOKEN - Export with your Netdata MCP API key before launching OpenCode
  • /usr/sbin/nd-mcp - With your actual nd-mcp path (local method only)

How to Use​

Once configured, OpenCode can leverage Netdata's observability data through its terminal interface:

# Start OpenCode
opencode

# The AI assistant will have access to Netdata tools
# Ask infrastructure questions naturally:
What's the current CPU usage across all servers?
Show me any performance anomalies in the last hour
Which services are consuming the most resources?

Selective Tool Enabling​

OpenCode allows fine-grained control over MCP tool availability per agent:

{
  "mcp": {
    "netdata": {
      "type": "remote",
      "url": "http://YOUR_NETDATA_IP:19999/mcp",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer NETDATA_MCP_API_KEY"
      },
      "enabled": true
    }
  },
  "tools": {
    "netdata*": false
  },
  "agent": {
    "infrastructure-analyst": {
      "tools": {
        "netdata*": true
      }
    }
  }
}

This configuration:

  • Disables Netdata tools globally
  • Enables them only for the "infrastructure-analyst" agent

Example Workflows​

Performance Investigation:

Investigate why our application response times increased this afternoon using Netdata metrics

Resource Optimization:

Check memory usage patterns across all nodes and suggest optimization strategies

Alert Analysis:

Explain the current active alerts from Netdata and their potential impact

Anomaly Detection:

Find any anomalous metrics in the last 2 hours and explain what might be causing them

💡 Advanced Usage: OpenCode's terminal-based interface combined with Netdata observability creates powerful DevOps workflows. Learn about the opportunities and security considerations in AI DevOps Copilot.

Troubleshooting​

MCP Server Not Connecting​

  • Verify Netdata is accessible: curl http://YOUR_NETDATA_IP:19999/api/v3/info
  • Check the JSON syntax in your opencode.json file
  • Ensure the MCP server is enabled ("enabled": true)

SSE Transport Issues​

OpenCode has known issues with SSE-based MCP servers. If you encounter "UnknownError Server error" messages:

  • Switch to HTTP streamable transport (remove ?transport=sse from URL)
  • Use the local nd-mcp bridge instead
  • Check GitHub Issue #834 for updates

Limited Data Access​

  • Verify API key is included in the connection URL or headers
  • Check that the Netdata agent is properly configured for MCP
  • Ensure MCP is enabled in your Netdata build

Command Format Issues​

  • Local servers require command as an array: ["command", "arg1", "arg2"]
  • Remote servers use a URL string: "url": "http://..."
  • Don't mix local and remote configuration options

Advanced Configuration​

Multiple Environments​

Configure different Netdata instances for different purposes:

{
  "mcp": {
    "netdata-prod": {
      "type": "remote",
      "url": "https://prod-parent.company.com:19999/mcp",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer $\{PROD_API_KEY}"
      },
      "enabled": true
    },
    "netdata-staging": {
      "type": "remote",
      "url": "https://staging-parent.company.com:19999/mcp",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer $\{STAGING_API_KEY}"
      },
      "enabled": false
    },
    "netdata-local": {
      "type": "local",
      "command": ["/usr/sbin/nd-mcp", "ws://localhost:19999/mcp"],
      "environment": {
        "ND_MCP_BEARER_TOKEN": "$\{LOCAL_API_KEY}"
      },
      "enabled": true
    }
  }
}

Debugging MCP Connections​

Enable verbose logging to troubleshoot MCP issues:

{
  "mcp": {
    "netdata": {
      "type": "remote",
      "url": "http://YOUR_NETDATA_IP:19999/mcp",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer NETDATA_MCP_API_KEY"
      },
      "enabled": true,
      "debug": true
    }
  }
}
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