Requirement checks

The server checks the database requirements when it processes the MCP handshake request. This is the initialize or server/discover request, depending on the protocol version used by clients. These checks are not startup pre-flight checks.

Required checks

During the handshake, the server verifies:

  • A valid connection to the target Neo4j instance.

  • The ability to execute queries.

  • The presence of the APOC plugin, including its meta component.

If the database is unreachable, the configuration is invalid, or APOC is missing, the handshake request fails with a descriptive error. For a missing APOC meta component, install the APOC plugin and ensure it includes the meta component.

The checks apply to both transport modes. In STDIO mode, the URI, credentials, and database are configured on the server. In HTTP mode, the URI, credentials, and database are selected for each request. See Transport modes and HTTP mode.