colab-mcp
Provides tools for interacting with Google Colab, enabling management of notebooks, code execution, and environment configuration.
Click on "Install Server".
Wait a few minutes for the server to deploy. Once ready, it will show a "Started" state.
In the chat, type
@followed by the MCP server name and your instructions, e.g., "@colab-mcpCreate a Colab notebook and print 'hello world'"
That's it! The server will respond to your query, and you can continue using it as needed.
Here is a step-by-step guide with screenshots.
Colab-mcp
An MCP server for interacting with Colab.
Setup
Install
uv(pip install uv)Configure for usage (eg for mcp.json style services):
...
"mcpServers": {
"colab-mcp": {
"command": "uvx",
"args": ["git+https://github.com/googlecolab/colab-mcp"],
"timeout": 30000
}
}
...(If you have a non-standard default package index (Googlers), you may also need to add --index https://pypi.org/simple)
Issues & Discussions
We are using GitHub discussions as the place for issue discussion and feature requests. As discussions mature into action items, we will add those items as issues. This helps us ensure that issues in the issue tracker are well-understood, deduplicated, and actionable. For these reasons, please do NOT open issues directly.
Related MCP server: colab-mcp
Internal - For Colab Developers
Prerequisites
uvis required (pip install uv)Configure git hooks to run repo presubmits
git config core.hooksPath .githooksGemini CLI setup
...
"mcpServers": {
"colab-mcp": {
"command": "uv",
"args": ["run", "colab-mcp"],
"cwd": "/path/to/github/colab-mcp",
"timeout": 30000
}
}
...Available Tools
1 toolopen_colab_browser_connectionA
Opens a connection to a Google Colab browser session and unlocks notebook editing tools. Returns a boolean representing whether the connection attempt succeeded
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
No parameters | |||
Output Schema
| Name | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
| result | Yes |
TDQS
Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?
No annotations are provided, so the description carries the full burden of behavioral disclosure. It mentions the side effect of unlocking editing tools and the boolean return value, but it does not clarify whether the connection is persistent, whether it requires an existing browser session, or whether any side effects beyond unlocking occur.
Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.
Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?
The description is a single, front-loaded sentence that conveys the action, the target resource, the functional outcome, and the return type. There is no redundant or filler content.
Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.
Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?
For a zero-parameter tool with an output schema, the description is nearly complete: it names the action and return value. The main gap is the lack of any prerequisite or failure-context information, such as requiring an active Colab browser session or what happens if the connection attempt fails.
Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.
Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?
The tool has zero parameters, so the schema provides no parameter semantics to clarify. The description does not need to add parameter meaning, and it appropriately focuses on the operation and return value.
Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.
Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?
The description uses a specific verb ('Opens') and names a clear resource ('a Google Colab browser session'), and also states the expected outcome ('unlocks notebook editing tools'). With no sibling tools to differentiate, this fully communicates what the tool does.
Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.
Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?
The description implies the tool is used when a Colab browser connection is needed, but it does not state explicit when-to-use guidance, prerequisites, or alternatives. Since there are no sibling tools, the lack of exclusions is acceptable, but contextual guidance is minimal.
Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.
Tool Schema Changelog
Recent tool additions, removals, and schema changes observed during successful MCP inspections. Dates show when Glama detected each change.
1 tool update
v0.1.0- First observed
open_colab_browser_connection
TDQS
With only one tool, there is no possibility of confusion or misselection. The tool's purpose is clearly stated and no other tools exist to overlap with it.
The single tool name follows a clear verb_noun pattern (open + colab_browser_connection). There are no other tools to introduce naming inconsistencies, so the naming is internally consistent.
A single tool is too few for a server named colab-mcp, especially since the tool description mentions unlocking notebook editing tools that are not actually exposed. The count is at the lower boundary of what could be acceptable for a narrowly scoped connection tool, but it feels too thin for the apparent domain.
The tool surface is severely incomplete: it offers only an initial connection step while the description claims to unlock notebook editing tools that are absent. There are no tools for creating, editing, or executing notebooks, leaving agents with a dead end after establishing the connection.
Maintenance
Resources
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Looking for Admin?
If you are the server author, to access and configure the admin panel.
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