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Connect Metabase to VS Code

Give VS Code governed access to Metabase’s 45 tools through Runlayer, with identity, policy, scanning, and audit on every call.

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Set up

Add Metabase to VS Code in four steps

Admins approve the server once. Everyone in VS Code then gets it through the same governed connection.

  1. 1

    Approve Metabase in Runlayer

    Add Metabase from the catalog and choose who can use it and which of its tools are allowed.

  2. 2

    Connect VS Code to Runlayer

    Runlayer’s CLI installs the Runlayer Plugin natively in VS Code; users can also add it over MCP. With direct tool listing turned on for your deployment, Metabase’s 45 tools show up in VS Code’s own tool list (VS Code 1.103 or newer).

    VS Code setup guide
  3. 3

    Sign in to Metabase

    Sign in the way Metabase requires. Runlayer holds the credentials so they stay out of the client’s configuration.

  4. 4

    Use Metabase from VS Code

    Metabase’s approved tools appear in VS Code. Every call is checked against policy and recorded.

Tools

45 Metabase tools in VS Code

Runlayer policy decides which of these VS Code users can call. 25 read data only and 6 can change or delete data.

  • Construct query

    Construct a Metabase query from a structured program with source and operations.

  • Create dashboard

    Create a dashboard in Metabase.

  • Create question

    Save a query as a named question in Metabase.

  • Execute query

    Execute a previously constructed query and return the results with column metadata, row count, and execution time.

  • Get metric

    Get details about a metric including its queryable dimensions.

  • Get metric field values

    Get sample values and statistics for a field in a metric.

  • Get table

    Get details about a table including its fields, related tables, and metrics.

  • Get table field values

    Get sample values and statistics for a field in a table.

See all 45 Metabase tools

Control

What Runlayer can see and stop in VS Code

Some controls apply to every client at the gateway. Others depend on what VS Code exposes to Runlayer.

  • Gateway policy (available)

    Every Metabase call from VS Code passes through Runlayer, where your policies can allow, alert, mask, or block it.

  • Audit trail (available)

    Each call is recorded with the user, VS Code as the client, the tool, and the policy and scanner decisions.

  • Client hooks (available)

    Capture supported prompts, reasoning, local and MCP tool calls, responses, and scanner decisions in real time.

  • Stop a call before it runs (available)

    Runlayer can deny a tool call before VS Code runs it.

  • Block output after it runs (available)

    Runlayer can block a tool’s output before VS Code’s model sees it.

  • Redact output in place (available)

    Runlayer can mask sensitive parts of a tool’s output in VS Code and pass the rest through.

Frequently asked questions

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