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Connect Foundational MCP to Snowflake Cortex

Introduction

Foundational runs a hosted Model Context Protocol (MCP) server at https://mcp.foundational.io/mcp. Connecting it to Snowflake Cortex gives Cortex direct access to your end-to-end column-level lineage, table and column definitions, ownership and metadata, usage and cost signals, and the code behind your data assets. Cortex can then answer questions about the pipelines, models, and dashboards around your Snowflake tables, not only about the tables themselves.

Snowflake Cortex needs a different setup depending on how you work with it. This article covers all three: Cortex Code Desktop (also called Snowflake CoCo), the CoCo command-line interface (CLI), and Snowflake CoWork. Each user connects Cortex Code Desktop and the CoCo CLI themselves. Snowflake CoWork needs a Snowflake admin to create the connector and a Cortex agent first; each user then connects in CoWork.

Looking for a different tool? See Use Foundational MCP with your AI tools for the full client list, use cases, and machine-to-machine authentication.

Before you begin

  • You need an active user account in the Foundational app. The MCP server authorizes against your Foundational identity and returns only the assets your account can already see.
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  • The Snowflake CoWork setup requires admin rights in your Snowflake account, to create the account-level MCP connector and the Cortex agent.
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  • Your network must allow outbound HTTPS to mcp.foundational.io. Snowflake CoWork connects from your Snowflake account rather than from your computer, so mcp.foundational.io must be reachable from Snowflake. For self-hosted or air-gapped Foundational deployments, use Cortex Code Desktop or the CoCo CLI from inside your network.

Connection details

Every Snowflake Cortex setup uses the same values:

  • Server URL: https://mcp.foundational.io/mcp
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  • Transport: Streamable HTTP. Cortex Code Desktop calls it Remote (HTTP); the CoCo CLI takes -t http.
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  • Authentication: OAuth 2.0 with Dynamic Client Registration. You don't need to create a client ID, secret, or API token.
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  • Suggested name: Foundational

Connect Cortex Code Desktop (CoCo)

  1. In the Cortex Code desktop app, go to Settings > MCP and click New.​

  2. Enter the Foundational MCP server details, then click Save:
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    • Server Name: Foundational
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    • Server Type: Remote (HTTP)
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    • Server URL: https://mcp.foundational.io/mcp

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  3. Click the X button next to Save to go back to the MCP Connectors list.
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  4. Find Foundational in the list and click Connect. Complete the Foundational sign-in in your browser.
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  5. After you sign in, Foundational shows as connected.

Connect the CoCo CLI

  1. Add the server. In a terminal, run:
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    cortex mcp add foundational <https://mcp.foundational.io/mcp> -t http

  2. Connect. Start Cortex by running cortex, then type /mcp to open the MCP management panel. Select foundational in the list and press c to connect.
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  3. Authenticate. Complete the Foundational sign-in in your browser.
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  4. Verify. The foundational connector now shows as connected and active.

Connect Snowflake CoWork

Snowflake CoWork reaches Foundational through an account-level MCP connector that is attached to a Cortex agent. A Snowflake admin completes steps 1 and 2 once for the account; each user then completes step 3.
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Step 1: Create the MCP connector at the account level (admin)

  1. Open your Snowflake account in a web browser, go to Account settings > MCP, and select Add custom.

  2. Enter the Foundational server details:
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    • Location: The target database and schema
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    • Name: Foundational
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    • API Integration: Dynamic Client Registration (DCR)
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    • Server URL: https://mcp.foundational.io/mcp
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  3. Click Add.
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  4. The Foundational connector appears as Enabled in the MCP Connectors panel. If it doesn’t appear right away, refresh the page.
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Step 2: Create a Snowflake Cortex agent (admin)

  1. In your Snowflake account, go to AI & ML > Agents in the left panel and click Create Agent.​

  2. Complete the Create Agent form, then click Create Agent:
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    • Database and schema: The same database and schema you selected for the MCP connector in step 1
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    • Agent object name: Foundational

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  3. Open the new agent and go to Configuration > MCP. Find the Foundational MCP connector in the list and click Add to agent.
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Step 3: Connect to Foundational in Snowflake CoWork (each user)

  1. Open Snowflake CoWork in a new browser tab.
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  2. Go to Capabilities > MCP Connectors, find the Foundational MCP connector, and click Connect.​
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  3. Complete the Foundational sign-in in your browser.

Verify the connection

  • Cortex Code Desktop: In Settings > MCP, Foundational shows as connected.
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  • CoCo CLI: Run /mcp. The foundational connector shows as connected and active.
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  • Snowflake CoWork: In Capabilities > MCP Connectors, the Foundational connector is connected.

The most direct check is to ask a question only Foundational can answer, such as: “Using Foundational, list the downstream consumers of the dim_customers table.” If Cortex answers with real table, column, or dashboard names from your environment, the connection is working.

What to ask Cortex once connected

  • “Which dbt models, pipelines, and dashboards read from fct_orders?”
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  • “Where does fct_user_sessions get its data from, column by column?”
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  • “If I drop the legacy_status column from orders, what breaks?”
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  • “Are there expensive tables in our warehouse with no downstream consumers?”

Troubleshooting

The Foundational connector doesn’t appear in the MCP Connectors panel

Refresh the page. The new connector can take a moment to show as Enabled after you click Add.

The Foundational connector isn’t listed in the agent’s Configuration > MCP

The Cortex agent and the MCP connector must be in the same database and schema. Check the Location you chose for the connector, and create the agent in that same database and schema.

The sign-in fails or loops

Confirm you can sign in to the Foundational app (https://app.foundational.io) in the same browser. The MCP server authorizes your Foundational user account, so an expired session or a different single sign-on (SSO) account is the usual cause. If you can’t sign in to the Foundational app, ask your IT or data administrator to invite you to Foundational.

Connection fails behind a corporate proxy or firewall

Allow outbound HTTPS to mcp.foundational.io. See Allowing IP access to Foundational.

Useful links

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