Bold BI Documentation Is Now Accessible to an MCP Server

TL;DR: The Bold BI® MCP Server connects MCP-compatible IDEs and AI assistants with Bold BI documentation resources, helping developers retrieve contextual guidance for dashboards, widgets, APIs, embedding, data sources, and integrations directly inside their development workflow.

Introduction

The Bold BI MCP server brings quick access to embedding guides, API references, data source configuration steps, and implementation examples directly into its AI-powered development workflows.

By connecting MCP-compatible AI assistants with Bold BI documentation and development resources, the Bold BI MCP server helps developers get relevant Bold BI guidance inside their IDE or AI workspace without switching tabs. Instead of manually searching documentation, developers can ask natural-language questions and access relevant Bold BI guidance within their IDE.

What is the Bold BI MCP Server?

The Bold BI MCP Server provides AI assistants with access to Bold BI documentation and developer resources. It enables MCP-compatible IDEs and AI assistants to retrieve relevant Bold BI guidance based on natural-language developer prompts.

Why Use the Bold BI MCP Server?

Developers embedding analytics into their applications often spend time searching documentation, validating approaches, and troubleshooting integration issues. The Bold BI MCP server helps developers access relevant Bold BI guidance directly inside MCP-compatible IDEs and AI tools, including:

1. Faster access to Bold BI guidance: Developers can retrieve contextual help for dashboards, widgets, APIs, embedding, and data sources without manually searching documentation.
2. Relevant references inside the workflow: AI assistants can surface Bold BI documentation and implementation references directly in the development environment.
3. Support for implementation questions: Developers can ask natural-language questions about embedding, configuration, and integration scenarios.
4. Troubleshooting assistance: AI assistants can help locate guidance for common setup, connectivity, and configuration issues.
5. Improved developer productivity: Developers can reduce context switching and access Bold BI resources faster while building analytics applications.

With these capabilities, BI teams and developers can easily find the right Bold BI guidance, reduce context switching, and continue building analytics applications without leaving their development environment.

Common Developer Use Cases

The Bold BI MCP server supports a wide range of real-world development scenarios by providing contextual guidance directly within MCP-enabled IDEs and AI assistants.

Dashboard development guidance

Developers can quickly learn how to create and configure dashboards without leaving their coding environment. By asking natural-language questions, they can retrieve step-by-step instructions, best practices, and examples for designing dashboards, adding widgets, and managing layouts.

Example prompts:

• “How do I create a dashboard in Bold BI?”
• “What are the available widget types?”

Widget configuration and customization

The MCP server helps developers configure and customize widgets such as charts, grids, and KPIs. It provides guidance on properties, visualization options, and data mapping.

Example prompts:

• “How do I configure a column chart widget?”
• “How can I customize widget appearance and behavior?”

How the Bold BI MCP Server Works

Here’s a typical workflow for using the Bold BI MCP server:

1. Configure the Bold BI MCP server and connect your IDE or AI assistant.
2. Enable agent mode (or MCP support) so your AI assistant can access Bold BI documentation resources.
3. Ask your questions in natural language.
4. The server returns the most relevant Bold BI documentation and references directly in your IDE.

Supported MCP-Compatible Tools

The Bold BI MCP server can be used with MCP-client IDEs and AI assistants, including:

• Visual Studio Code
• Cursor
• Claude Desktop
• ChatGPT
• GitHub Copilot
• JetBrains Rider

As MCP adoption continues to grow, additional AI-powered development tools may also support similar workflows.

Getting Started with the Bold BI MCP Server

To start using the Bold BI MCP Server, configure it and connect it to an MCP-client IDE or AI assistant. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you get started.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you get started.

Prerequisites

Before getting started, ensure you have the following:

• Node.js version 18 or later
• An MCP-compatible IDE or AI assistant
• MCP or agent support enabled
• Access to the Bold BI MCP endpoint

To verify your Node.js installation, run:

node -v

Next, follow these steps or visit our documentation to configure the Bold BI MCP Server in Visual Studio Code.

Step 1: Open the MCP Configuration File

In Visual Studio Code, open the global MCP configuration file:

%APPDATA%\Code\User\mcp.json

Example path:

C:\Users<username>\AppData\Roaming\Code\User\mcp.json

This file is used to register MCP servers that can be accessed by supported AI assistants inside VS Code.

Step 2: Add the Bold BI MCP Server Configuration

Add the following configuration to the mcp.json file:

{

  "servers": {

    "boldbi-doc": {

      "url": "https://mcp.boldbi.com/docs",

      "type": "http"

    }

  },

  "inputs": []

} 

This configuration registers the Bold BI MCP documentation server and enables MCP-compatible AI assistants to retrieve contextual Bold BI guidance directly from the configured endpoint.

Step 3: Restart Visual Studio Code

After saving the configuration:

1. Restart Visual Studio Code.
2. Open Agent Customizations → MCP Servers.
3. Verify the Bold BI MCP server status appears as Running.

Once the configuration is completed, supported AI assistants inside VS Code can access Bold BI documentation and implementation guidance directly through the MCP Server.

1. Open your AI assistant chat panel.
2. Select the MCP-enabled assistant or agent.
3. Send prompts related to Bold BI documentation, APIs, dashboards, widgets, or integrations.

Example:

#boldbi_docs_assistant - Provides guidance on creating dashboards in Bold BI.

For setup instructions in other MCP-compatible clients, refer to the documentation below:

• Visual Studio 2022 – Use MCP Servers
• Visual Studio 2022 – Agent Mode Setup
• Visual Studio 2026 – Use MCP Servers
• Visual Studio 2026 – Agent Mode Setup
• VS Code – Use MCP Servers
• VS Code – Built-in Agents
• Cursor – Model Context Protocol (MCP)
• Cursor – Agent Overview
• JetBrains Rider – Model Context Protocol (MCP)
• JetBrains Rider – AI Assistant Installation
• Extending GitHub Copilot Chat with MCP Servers

Example Developer Prompts

Once configured, you can ask Bold BI-related questions directly in your MCP-enabled AI assistant inside VS Code.

For example:

• “How do I create a dashboard in Bold BI?”
• “Show column chart widget configuration.”
• “How do I configure a SQL data source in Bold BI?”
• “How do I embed dashboards using the Bold BI REST API?”
• “Why is my dashboard data source connection failing?”

The AI assistant retrieves relevant guidance from the Bold BI MCP documentation server and returns it within the development workflow.

Best Practices for Using the Bold BI MCP Server

To get more accurate and relevant responses from your AI assistant:

• Be specific about implementation questions.
• Mention dashboards, widgets, APIs, embedding, or data sources when relevant.
• Ask for implementation examples when needed.
• Use MCP-enabled or agent-enabled workflows.
• Review AI-generated responses before production use.

Clear prompts help AI assistants retrieve more contextual Bold BI guidance from the MCP Server.

Final Thoughts

The Bold BI® MCP server helps simplify how developers access Bold BI guidance inside AI-powered development workflows. By connecting MCP-compatible IDEs and AI assistants with Bold BI documentation resources, developers can retrieve relevant guidance using natural-language prompts.

Ready to get started? Configure the Bold BI MCP server in your preferred MCP-supported tools IDE or AI assistant and start exploring Bold BI guidance directly inside your workflow.

For more information, explore the Bold BI MCP documentation or request a personalized demo with our product experts.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. 1.

   What is an MCP Server?

   An MCP (Model Context Protocol) server allows AI assistants to access external documentation, APIs, and tools in real time.
2. 2.

   Which IDEs and AI assistants are supported?

   The Bold BI MCP server can be used with MCP-compatible tools such as Visual Studio Code, Cursor, Claude Desktop, ChatGPT, GitHub Copilot, and JetBrains Rider.
3. 3.

   What can I use the Bold BI MCP server for?

   Developers can use the Bold BI MCP server to retrieve guidance related to dashboards, widgets, APIs, embedding, data sources, configuration, integrations, and troubleshooting scenarios.
4. 4.

   Does the Bold BI MCP server create dashboards automatically?

   No. The Bold BI MCP server does not create dashboards or automate analytics workflows. It helps AI assistants retrieve relevant Bold BI guidance and documentation resources based on developer prompts.
5. 5.

   Do I need MCP or Agent support enabled?

   Yes. MCP or agent support must be enabled in your IDE or AI assistant to use the Bold BI MCP server.
6. 6.

   Is Node.js required?

   Yes. Node.js version 18 or later is recommended for MCP-compatible workflows and integrations.