General Questions
What is Pylar?
Pylar is a secure data access layer for AI agents that enables interaction with structured data sources. It provides governed SQL views, AI-powered MCP tool creation, and seamless multi-database integration without requiring direct database access or complex API integrations.Learn More
Read our detailed introduction to understand Pylar’s capabilities
How is Pylar different from connecting directly to databases?
Pylar provides several key advantages:- Governed Access: Agents only access data through SQL views you create, never raw database access
- Unified Interface: Single MCP endpoint for all data sources, eliminating API hassles
- Security: Centralized security and governance with views as the only access level
- Easy Updates: Modify views and tools without redeploying agents
- Observability: Built-in Evals dashboard for monitoring agent interactions
- Multi-Database: Join data across multiple databases and warehouses seamlessly
Why Pylar?
Learn about the benefits of using Pylar
What data sources can I connect to Pylar?
Pylar supports two types of data sources: Business Applications (synced to Pylar Warehouse):- Google Sheets, HubSpot, Salesforce, Airtable, and more
- BigQuery, Snowflake, PostgreSQL, MySQL, Redshift, MotherDuck, Supabase, AlloyDB, Databricks, and more
Supported Data Sources
See the complete list of supported data sources
Do I need to give Pylar direct database access?
For databases and data warehouses, you need to:- Provide connection credentials (host, database name, username, password)
- Whitelist Pylar’s IP address:
34.122.205.142
Connection Security
Learn about security best practices
Getting Started
How do I get started with Pylar?
The Pylar workflow is straightforward:- Connect Databases: Connect your data sources to Pylar
- Create a Project: Organize your views in a project
- Create Views: Use the SQL IDE to create governed views
- Create MCP Tools: Use AI or manually create MCP tools on your views
- Test Tools: Test your tools before deploying
- Publish: Get your MCP HTTP Stream URL and Authorization Token
- Connect to Agent Builder: Paste credentials into your agent builder
- Monitor with Evals: Track performance and optimize
Quick Start Guide
Follow our step-by-step quick start guide
What role do I need to connect data sources?
You need at least Analyst role privileges in Pylar to connect data sources. If you don’t have the necessary database credentials, you can invite a team member who does have access.How long does it take to set up Pylar?
Setting up Pylar typically takes:- Connecting data sources: 30-60 minutes per source
- Creating views: 1-2 hours depending on complexity
- Creating MCP tools: 30 minutes to 1 hour (using AI)
- Testing and publishing: 15-30 minutes
Connections
What IP address do I need to whitelist?
Pylar’s IP address is 34.122.205.142 (permanently assigned). Whitelist this IP in your database firewall settings to allow Pylar to connect. The process varies by database provider:- AWS RDS: Add to security group inbound rules
- Google Cloud SQL: Add to authorized networks
- Azure Database: Add to firewall rules
- Self-hosted: Configure server firewall (iptables, ufw, etc.)
Connecting Databases
Learn how to connect your databases
Can I connect multiple instances of the same data source?
Yes! You can connect multiple instances of the same data source (e.g., multiple Google Sheets documents, multiple Snowflake databases). Each connection must have a unique name following these rules:- Lowercase letters only
- Numbers and underscores allowed
- No spaces or special characters
How do I name my connections?
Connection names must follow these rules:- ✅ Allowed: Lowercase letters, numbers, underscores
- ❌ Not Allowed: Capital letters, special characters, spaces
production_db, snowflake_analytics, customer_data_v2
Bad examples: Production DB, snowflake-analytics, Customer Data
This name will be used in SQL queries to reference the connection.
What happens after I connect a data source?
After connecting:- Business Applications: Data syncs to Pylar Warehouse (may take time depending on data volume)
- Databases: Data is indexed for querying (your data stays in place)
Can I use SSH connections for enhanced security?
Yes! Pylar supports SSH tunnel connections for enhanced security. This involves:- Setting up a bastion VM in your VPC
- Installing the database auth proxy
- Configuring SSH key authentication
- Connecting through the SSH tunnel
SSH Connections
Learn about SSH tunnel connections
Creating Views
What is a data view?
A data view is a governed SQL query that defines what data agents can access. Views are the only level of access agents get—they never access raw database tables. Views provide:- Security: Control exactly what data is exposed
- Governance: Scoped access to specific data
- Flexibility: Easy to update without redeploying agents
Creating Data Views
Learn about creating data views
Can I join data from multiple databases?
Yes! Pylar supports cross-database joins. You can join data from:- Different databases (Snowflake + PostgreSQL)
- Different warehouses (BigQuery + Redshift)
- Business applications (HubSpot + Salesforce)
- Local dataframes loaded into Pylar
Cross-Database Joins
Learn how to join data across multiple sources
How do I write my first view?
- Open the SQL IDE in Pylar
- Select your data source from the dropdown
- Write your SQL query
- Run the query to test
- Save it as a view
Writing Your First View
Follow our tutorial to create your first view
Can I query local dataframes?
Yes! You can load dataframes into Pylar and query them using SQL. This is useful for:- Testing queries with sample data
- Joining local data with database data
- Analyzing CSV/excel files
- Prototyping before connecting production databases
MCP Tools
What is an MCP tool?
An MCP (Machine-Consumable Protocol) tool is a function that AI agents can call to interact with your data views. Tools define:- Function name: What the agent calls
- Description: What the tool does
- SQL query: The query to execute
- Parameters: Inputs the agent can provide
Understanding Tool Structure
Learn about MCP tool components
How do I create MCP tools?
You can create MCP tools in two ways:- AI-Powered Creation: Describe what you want in natural language, and Pylar’s AI generates the tool
- Manual Creation: Build tools manually with full control
Creating Tools with AI
Learn how to create tools using AI
Can I create multiple tools on the same view?
Yes! You can create multiple MCP tools on the same data view. Each tool can:- Query different aspects of the view
- Have different parameters
- Serve different use cases
get_customer_info- Get basic customer detailsget_customer_orders- Get customer order historyget_customer_support_tickets- Get support history
How do I test my MCP tools?
Pylar provides a built-in testing interface:- Select the tool you want to test
- Enter test parameters
- Run the test
- Review the results
- Check the SQL query executed
- Verify the output
Testing Your Tools
Learn how to test your MCP tools
Can I edit MCP tools after creating them?
Yes! You can edit MCP tools at any time:- Modify function names and descriptions
- Update SQL queries
- Add or remove parameters
- View the JSON structure
Editing MCP Tools
Learn how to edit your tools
Publishing and Deployment
How do I publish my tools?
- After creating and testing your tools, click “Publish” in Pylar
- You’ll receive:
- MCP HTTP Stream URL: The endpoint for your agent builder
- Authorization Bearer Token: Authentication token
- Copy these credentials to your agent builder
Publishing Your Tools
Learn how to publish and deploy your tools
Do I need to redeploy when I update views or tools?
No! That’s one of Pylar’s key benefits. When you:- Update a SQL view
- Modify an MCP tool
- Add or remove tools
Which agent builders can I use?
Pylar works with any agent builder that supports MCP (Machine-Consumable Protocol), including: AI Coding Assistants:- Claude Desktop
- Cursor
- Windsurf
- VS Code (with MCP extension)
- LangGraph
- OpenAI Platform
- Custom Python/JavaScript agents
- Zapier
- Make (Integromat)
- n8n
Connecting Agent Builders
See guides for connecting to different agent builders
How do I connect to Claude Desktop?
- Get your MCP credentials from Pylar (HTTP Stream URL and Bearer Token)
- Edit Claude Desktop’s MCP configuration file
- Add Pylar as an MCP server
- Restart Claude Desktop
- Your tools will be available in Claude
Claude Desktop Setup
Step-by-step Claude Desktop connection guide
Monitoring and Evals
What is Evals?
Evals is Pylar’s built-in observability dashboard that provides:- Performance Metrics: Success rates, error rates, call counts
- Error Analysis: Detailed error breakdown and patterns
- Query Shapes: Understanding how agents query your data
- Raw Logs: Complete audit trail of all tool calls
Evals Overview
Learn about Pylar’s Evals dashboard
How do I access the Evals dashboard?
Click the “Eval” button in the top-right corner of your Pylar workspace. You’ll see:- Overview metrics (Total Count, Success Count, Error Count)
- Visual graphs (Calls/Success/Errors over time, Success/Error rates)
- Error Explorer
- Query Shape analysis
- Raw Logs
Evals Dashboard
Learn how to use the Evals dashboard
How do I analyze errors?
Use the Error Explorer in the Evals dashboard to:- Filter by MCP tool
- View error codes and frequencies
- Analyze error patterns
- Review raw logs for specific errors
- Identify common issues
Analyzing Errors
Learn how to analyze and fix errors
What are query shapes?
Query shapes are patterns in how agents query your data. They show:- Common query patterns
- Parameter usage
- Data access patterns
- Optimization opportunities
Understanding Query Shapes
Learn how to analyze query shapes
Security and Governance
How secure is my data with Pylar?
Pylar employs multiple security layers:- Encryption: Default encryption for all data
- Secret Management: Credentials stored in Google Cloud Platform’s Secret Key Manager
- HTTPS: All API interactions use HTTPS
- Governed Access: Views are the only access level—agents never get raw database access
- Access Control: Stringent access controls on all data
Connection Security
Learn about Pylar’s security features
Do agents have access to my raw database?
No! Agents only access data through the SQL views you create. This means:- ✅ You control exactly what data is exposed
- ✅ Agents never see raw database tables
- ✅ You can filter sensitive data in views
- ✅ Views provide an additional security layer
Can I use dedicated database users for Pylar?
Yes! This is a security best practice:- Create a dedicated database user for Pylar
- Grant only necessary permissions (read-only if possible)
- Limit access to specific schemas or tables
- Use audit logging to monitor all queries
How do I handle sensitive data in views?
Filter sensitive data in your views:- Exclude PII, financial data, or other sensitive columns
- Implement row-level security with WHERE clauses
- Use column selection to only expose necessary data
- Document what each view exposes
Troubleshooting
My connection is failing. What should I check?
Common issues and solutions:- IP Whitelisting: Ensure
34.122.205.142is whitelisted - Credentials: Verify username and password are correct
- Network: Check if database is publicly accessible
- Firewall: Review firewall rules and security groups
- Database Status: Verify database is running and accessible
Troubleshooting Connections
Get help troubleshooting connection issues
My data isn’t showing up after connecting
- Wait for Indexing: Databases need time to index (you’ll get an email when complete)
- Check Permissions: Verify user has SELECT permissions on tables
- Verify Connection: Test the connection in Pylar
- Check Logs: Review connection logs for errors
My MCP tool is returning errors
- Check Evals Dashboard: Review error details in Evals
- Test the Tool: Use Pylar’s test interface
- Verify SQL Query: Check if the SQL query works directly
- Check Parameters: Ensure parameters are correctly defined
- Review Logs: Check raw logs for specific error messages
My agent can’t access the tools
- Verify Credentials: Check MCP HTTP Stream URL and Bearer Token
- Test Connection: Ensure agent builder can reach Pylar
- Check Authentication: Verify Bearer Token is correct
- Review Agent Builder Logs: Check for connection errors
- Validate Tools: Ensure tools are published and active
Pricing and Limits
Is there a free tier?
Contact Pylar support to learn about pricing plans and free tier availability.Are there rate limits?
Pylar is designed to handle high-volume queries. For databases, queries execute on your infrastructure, so limits depend on your database capacity. For Business Applications, check with Pylar support for specific limits.Can I use Pylar for production workloads?
Yes! Pylar is designed for production use with:- High availability
- Scalability
- Security and compliance
- Enterprise-grade infrastructure
Support
Where can I get help?
- Documentation: Browse our comprehensive guides
- Examples: Check out our agent examples
- Support: Contact Pylar support team
How do I report bugs or request features?
Contact Pylar support with:- Bug descriptions
- Feature requests
- Feedback
- Questions
Still Have Questions?
If you can’t find the answer you’re looking for, check out:- Quick Start Guide - Get started with Pylar
- All Examples - See real-world use cases
- Documentation - Comprehensive guides
Get Started
Start building your first agent with Pylar