Datadog Model Context Protocol Server

Common errors

• Error: Node.js vX.Y.Z is not supported. Please use Node.js v16 or higher.

  cause Attempting to run the server with an unsupported Node.js version.
  fix Upgrade your Node.js installation to version 16 or newer. Check your current version with `node -v`.

• Failed to authenticate with Datadog API. Please check your API and Application keys.

  cause Missing or invalid Datadog API or Application keys.
  fix Set `DD_API_KEY` and `DD_APP_KEY` environment variables, or pass `--apiKey` and `--appKey` command-line arguments with correct values.

• API request failed: Host not found or service unavailable.

  cause Incorrect Datadog site URL or network connectivity issues preventing access to the Datadog API endpoints.
  fix Verify the `--site` argument or `DD_SITE` environment variable is set to the correct regional endpoint (e.g., `datadoghq.com`, `datadoghq.eu`). Check network connectivity to Datadog's API.

• Error: Missing required argument: --apiKey

  cause Server started without providing the necessary Datadog API or Application key via CLI arguments or environment variables.
  fix Include both `--apiKey=<YOUR_API_KEY>` and `--appKey=<YOUR_APP_KEY>` in your command-line arguments, or ensure `DD_API_KEY` and `DD_APP_KEY` are set in your environment.

Warnings

• breaking Node.js version 16 or higher is a prerequisite for running `datadog-mcp-server`. Older Node.js versions will prevent the server from starting or cause unexpected runtime errors.
  Fix: Ensure your Node.js environment is updated to version 16 or newer. Use `nvm` or `volta` to manage Node.js versions if necessary.
• gotcha Datadog API and Application keys are mandatory for server operation. Running the server without valid keys, either via environment variables (`DD_API_KEY`, `DD_APP_KEY`) or command-line arguments (`--apiKey`, `--appKey`), will result in authentication failures and prevent any interaction with the Datadog API.
  Fix: Provide valid `DD_API_KEY` and `DD_APP_KEY` from your Datadog organization settings. For production, use environment variables; for testing, command-line arguments are acceptable.
• gotcha Incorrectly specifying the Datadog regional site (e.g., `--site`, `DD_SITE`) can lead to connectivity issues or data not being found, even with valid API keys. The default is `datadoghq.com` (US).
  Fix: Verify your Datadog account's region and set the `DD_SITE` environment variable or `--site` argument accordingly (e.g., `datadoghq.eu`, `us5.datadoghq.com`). Also consider `DD_LOGS_SITE` and `DD_METRICS_SITE` for specific endpoints if needed.
• gotcha As a server process, `datadog-mcp-server` will continuously run and consume system resources (CPU, memory, network). It must be properly managed (e.g., via `systemd`, `pm2`, or `docker`) for production deployments to ensure uptime and resource efficiency.
  Fix: For production environments, deploy the server using process managers like PM2, systemd, or containerize it with Docker to ensure reliable operation, automatic restarts, and resource limits.

Install

• npm install datadog-mcp-server npm
• yarn add datadog-mcp-server yarn
• pnpm add datadog-mcp-server pnpm

Imports

• runServer
  wrong:

  import DatadogMCP from 'datadog-mcp-server';

  correct:

  import { runServer } from 'datadog-mcp-server';

  This package is primarily a command-line interface (CLI) server. Direct programmatic import of its main execution function, like `runServer`, is not its primary use case, but such a function might be exported for advanced scenarios or testing. Developers typically run it via `npx` or a global install.
• ServerOptions
  wrong:

  import { ServerConfig } from 'datadog-mcp-server';

  correct:

  import type { ServerOptions } from 'datadog-mcp-server';

  While the server is configured via environment variables or CLI arguments, advanced users might interact with its underlying configuration types, such as `ServerOptions`, if extending or wrapping the server programmatically. This is not a common developer pattern.
• getMonitorTool
  wrong:

  import { getMonitor } from 'datadog-mcp-server';

  correct:

  import { getMonitorTool } from 'datadog-mcp-server/dist/tools';

  The Datadog MCP server exposes various 'tools' (e.g., `get-monitor`, `get-dashboards`) via the Model Context Protocol. While these are consumed by MCP clients, internal implementations like `getMonitorTool` might be exposed for programmatic use from a subpath (e.g., `dist/tools`), though this is not documented as a primary public API.

Quickstart

Demonstrates how to programmatically launch the `datadog-mcp-server` CLI using `npx` with required Datadog API credentials, showing proper setup and process management.

import { spawn } from 'child_process';
import path from 'path';

// This demonstrates how to programmatically start the datadog-mcp-server CLI.
// In a typical setup, you would run this server globally or via npx.

const apiKey = process.env.DD_API_KEY ?? 'your_datadog_api_key';
const appKey = process.env.DD_APP_KEY ?? 'your_datadog_app_key';
const site = process.env.DD_SITE ?? 'datadoghq.com';

if (apiKey === 'your_datadog_api_key' || appKey === 'your_datadog_app_key') {
    console.warn("WARNING: Using placeholder Datadog API/App keys. Please set DD_API_KEY and DD_APP_KEY environment variables for actual use.");
}

const serverProcess = spawn('npx', [
  'datadog-mcp-server',
  '--apiKey', apiKey,
  '--appKey', appKey,
  '--site', site
], {
  stdio: 'inherit', // Pipe child process stdout/stderr to parent
  env: process.env, // Inherit environment variables
  cwd: path.resolve(__dirname), // Ensure context is correct
});

console.log(`Datadog MCP Server started with site: ${site}.`);
console.log('Use Ctrl+C to stop the server.');

serverProcess.on('error', (err) => {
  console.error('Failed to start Datadog MCP Server:', err);
});

serverProcess.on('exit', (code) => {
  console.log(`Datadog MCP Server exited with code ${code}.`);
});

// Example of how you might stop it programmatically after some time (optional)
// setTimeout(() => {
//   console.log('Stopping Datadog MCP Server...');
//   serverProcess.kill('SIGTERM');
// }, 60000);