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Set up Snowflake Cortex Code with Remote MCP

Connect Snowflake Cortex Code to the Atlan Remote MCP server to access governed metadata, such as glossary definitions, lineage, ownership, certification status, and data quality, without leaving the terminal.

Cortex Code acts as an MCP client: once you register the Atlan Remote MCP server, its tools become available to the Cortex Code agent automatically, with no code changes required. Cortex Code supports both OAuth and API Key authentication for connecting to Atlan Remote MCP.

Prerequisites​

Before you begin, make sure you have:

  • An Atlan tenant with Remote MCP enabled.
  • Snowflake Cortex Code installed and available in your terminal. Verify with cortex --version.
  • An Atlan API key if you plan to use API Key authentication. Generate one from Admin Settings → API Keys / Tokens.

Set up Snowflake Cortex Code Cortex Code v1.0.61+​

Choose the setup method that fits your use case. Select OAuth if you want to authenticate using your Atlan account and roles automatically. Choose API Key if you need a static token for automation or service-to-service use cases.

You can use OAuth if you want to authenticate using your Atlan account and permissions. Each tool call then runs with your Atlan user identity.

  1. In your terminal, add the OAuth-based Remote MCP server for Cortex Code by running:

    cortex mcp add atlan https://mcp.atlan.com/mcp --transport http

    Cortex Code writes the server to its configuration file at ~/.snowflake/cortex/mcp.json.

  2. Start the MCP servers by running:

    cortex mcp start

    Alternatively, just start a Cortex Code session with cortex. Configured MCP servers initialize automatically on startup.

  3. When prompted to authenticate, complete the OAuth flow in your browser. Cortex Code opens your browser to the Atlan sign-in page and listens for the callback locally. After you sign in, Cortex Code stores the OAuth token under ~/.snowflake/cortex/mcp_oauth/.

  4. Confirm that the Atlan server is connected. On a successful connection, Cortex Code reports the connected server and the number of Atlan tools it loaded (for example, Connected successfully with 33 tools).

    You can check the connection in two ways:

    • From your terminal (outside a Cortex Code session), list the configured servers:

      cortex mcp list

    • Inside an active Cortex Code session, run the slash command to view connected MCP servers and their tools:

      /mcp

Verify integration​

After the server connects, start a Cortex Code session and ask a question that uses Atlan context:

cortex

For example, prompt Cortex Code:

Using the Atlan tools, what are the downstream assets of the `CUSTOMERS` table, and who owns them?

Cortex Code calls the relevant Atlan tool (such as lineage traversal or asset search) and returns governed metadata in its response. When a tool runs for the first time, Cortex Code asks you to approve the call.

For the full list of available tools, see Atlan MCP tools.

tip

Pair Atlan's governance tools with Cortex Analyst for a trustworthy analytics flow: Cortex Analyst generates and runs the SQL, while Atlan supplies the certified definitions, ownership, and lineage that confirm you are querying the right, trusted data.

Need help?​

If you have any issues configuring Snowflake Cortex Code, contact Atlan Support for assistance. For common issues, see Troubleshooting Snowflake Cortex Code with Remote MCP.

See also​