Connect Metabase to Windsurf
Give Windsurf governed access to Metabase’s 45 tools through Runlayer, with identity, policy, scanning, and audit on every call.
Set up
Add Metabase to Windsurf in four steps
Admins approve the server once. Everyone in Windsurf then gets it through the same governed connection.
- 1
Approve Metabase in Runlayer
Add Metabase from the catalog and choose who can use it and which of its tools are allowed.
- 2
Connect Windsurf to Runlayer
Users add the Runlayer Plugin to Windsurf by following Runlayer’s setup guide. Windsurf reaches Metabase’s 45 tools through the Runlayer Plugin’s search and execute tools instead of listing each one.
Windsurf setup guide - 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
Use Metabase from Windsurf
Metabase’s approved tools appear in Windsurf. Every call is checked against policy and recorded.
Tools
45 Metabase tools in Windsurf
Runlayer policy decides which of these Windsurf 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.
Control
What Runlayer can see and stop in Windsurf
Some controls apply to every client at the gateway. Others depend on what Windsurf exposes to Runlayer.
Gateway policy (available)
Every Metabase call from Windsurf passes through Runlayer, where your policies can allow, alert, mask, or block it.
Audit trail (available)
Each call is recorded with the user, Windsurf 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 Windsurf runs it.
Block output after it runs (not available)
Windsurf ignores Runlayer after a tool runs, so Runlayer cannot block its output. The gateway still applies policy to the call.
Redact output in place (not available)
Windsurf has no way to receive replacement output, so Runlayer cannot mask it. The gateway still applies policy to the call.
In Windsurf
- Enforcement needs Windsurf 1.12.31 or newer.
- When Runlayer denies a call, Windsurf shows the reason to the user; Runlayer cannot adjust the call’s inputs.
Frequently asked questions
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