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The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is an open standard that lets AI assistants interact with external tools and data sources. Avala’s MCP server exposes your datasets, projects, and exports as tools that any MCP-compatible client can call, so you can manage your annotation workflow through natural language without switching context. This means you can ask Claude to “list all my datasets,” have Cursor create an export, or use VS Code to check project status — all powered by the same Avala API you already use.

Prerequisites

  • Node.js 18 or later installed on your machine
  • An Avala API key (generate one in Mission Control under Settings > Security)

Setup

Claude Desktop

Open your Claude Desktop configuration file:
  • macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
  • Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json
Add the Avala MCP server:
Never commit config files containing real API keys to version control. Set AVALA_API_KEY as a system environment variable, or replace "your-api-key" with your actual key locally and ensure the config file is in your .gitignore.
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "avala": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@avala-ai/mcp-server"],
      "env": {
        "AVALA_API_KEY": "your-api-key"
      }
    }
  }
}
Restart Claude Desktop. You should see the Avala tools available in the tool picker.

Cursor

Create or edit .cursor/mcp.json in your project root (or global config directory):
.cursor/mcp.json lives in your project root and may be committed to git. Add it to your .gitignore or set AVALA_API_KEY as a system environment variable instead of placing it directly in the config file.
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "avala": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@avala-ai/mcp-server"],
      "env": {
        "AVALA_API_KEY": "your-api-key"
      }
    }
  }
}
Restart Cursor or reload the window. The Avala tools will appear in Cursor’s agent mode.

VS Code

Create or edit .vscode/mcp.json in your workspace:
.vscode/mcp.json lives in your workspace and may be committed to git. Add it to your .gitignore or set AVALA_API_KEY as a system environment variable instead of placing it directly in the config file.
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "avala": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@avala-ai/mcp-server"],
      "env": {
        "AVALA_API_KEY": "your-api-key"
      }
    }
  }
}
Make sure you have the GitHub Copilot extension installed with MCP support enabled. Restart VS Code to pick up the new server.

Claude Code

Add the Avala MCP server to Claude Code with a single command:
claude mcp add avala -- npx -y @avala-ai/mcp-server
Set your API key as an environment variable:
export AVALA_API_KEY="your-api-key"
Restart Claude Code. The Avala tools will be available in your session.

ChatGPT

ChatGPT’s MCP support is evolving. Refer to OpenAI’s documentation for the latest setup instructions and availability in your plan and region.

MCP Security Mode

For safety, the MCP server is read-only by default. Mutating tools are not registered unless you explicitly enable them with:
AVALA_MCP_ENABLE_MUTATIONS=true
This environment variable can be set in your MCP server process environment before launching the server. By default, the following write/delete operations are blocked:
  • create_dataset
  • create_agent, delete_agent
  • create_annotation_issue, update_annotation_issue, delete_annotation_issue
  • create_storage_config, delete_storage_config
  • create_webhook, delete_webhook
  • create_export
  • evaluate_quality
  • compute_consensus
  • fleet_register_device, fleet_acknowledge_alert

Available MCP Tools

Once connected, the following tools are available to the AI assistant:
ToolDescription
list_datasetsList all datasets in your workspace.
get_datasetGet details for a specific dataset.
create_datasetCreate a new dataset for annotation. mutation
list_projectsList all annotation projects.
get_projectGet full project details.
create_exportTrigger a new export for a dataset or project. (requires AVALA_MCP_ENABLE_MUTATIONS=true)
get_export_statusCheck export status.
list_exportsList all exports.
get_workspace_statsGet workspace usage summary.
list_tasksList tasks with optional filtering.
get_taskGet task details.
list_agentsList automation agents.
get_agentGet agent details.
create_agentCreate a new automation agent. (requires AVALA_MCP_ENABLE_MUTATIONS=true)
delete_agentDelete an agent. (requires AVALA_MCP_ENABLE_MUTATIONS=true)
list_webhooksList webhook subscriptions.
create_webhookCreate a webhook subscription. (requires AVALA_MCP_ENABLE_MUTATIONS=true)
delete_webhookDelete a webhook. (requires AVALA_MCP_ENABLE_MUTATIONS=true)
list_storage_configsList storage configurations.
create_storage_configCreate a storage configuration. (requires AVALA_MCP_ENABLE_MUTATIONS=true)
test_storage_configTest storage connectivity.
delete_storage_configDelete a storage configuration. (requires AVALA_MCP_ENABLE_MUTATIONS=true)
list_quality_targetsList quality targets for a project.
evaluate_qualityEvaluate quality targets. (requires AVALA_MCP_ENABLE_MUTATIONS=true)
get_consensus_summaryGet consensus summary for a project.
compute_consensusTrigger consensus computation. (requires AVALA_MCP_ENABLE_MUTATIONS=true)
list_organizationsList organizations.
get_organizationGet organization details.
list_slicesList slices for an owner.
get_sliceGet slice details.
list_annotation_issues_by_sequenceList annotation issues for a sequence.
create_annotation_issueCreate a new annotation issue. (requires AVALA_MCP_ENABLE_MUTATIONS=true)
update_annotation_issueUpdate an annotation issue. (requires AVALA_MCP_ENABLE_MUTATIONS=true)
delete_annotation_issueDelete an annotation issue. (requires AVALA_MCP_ENABLE_MUTATIONS=true)
list_annotation_issues_by_datasetList annotation issues for a dataset.
get_annotation_issue_metricsGet issue metrics for a dataset.
list_qc_toolsList available QC tools.

Fleet (Preview)

Fleet tools are in preview and may change. They provide read and write access to fleet devices, recordings, events, alerts, and rules.
ToolDescription
fleet_list_devicesList fleet devices with optional filters.
fleet_get_deviceGet detailed information about a specific fleet device.
fleet_list_recordingsList fleet recordings with optional filters.
fleet_get_recordingGet detailed information about a specific recording.
fleet_list_eventsList fleet events with optional filters.
fleet_list_alertsList fleet alerts with optional filters.
fleet_list_rulesList fleet rules with optional filters.
fleet_register_deviceRegister a new fleet device. mutation
fleet_acknowledge_alertAcknowledge a fleet alert. mutation

Tool Definitions

Detailed schemas for each MCP tool. All tools return JSON as text content.

list_datasets

Lists all datasets in the workspace. Parameters:
  • dataType (string, optional) — Filter by data type (image, video, lidar, mcap, splat)
  • name (string, optional) — Filter by dataset name (partial match)
  • status (string, optional) — Filter by dataset status
  • visibility (string, optional) — Filter by visibility (private or public)
  • limit (number, optional) — Maximum number of datasets to return
  • cursor (string, optional) — Pagination cursor from a previous request
Example response:
{
  "datasets": [
    {
      "uid": "d8f2e1a4-3b7c-4e9f-a1d6-5c8b9e0f2a3d",
      "name": "Urban Driving Q1",
      "slug": "urban-driving-q1",
      "dataType": "lidar",
      "itemCount": 12450,
      "visibility": "private",
      "status": "active",
      "createdAt": "2026-01-15T08:30:00Z"
    },
    {
      "uid": "a1b2c3d4-5e6f-7a8b-9c0d-e1f2a3b4c5d6",
      "name": "Warehouse Cameras",
      "slug": "warehouse-cameras",
      "dataType": "image",
      "itemCount": 34200,
      "visibility": "private",
      "status": "active",
      "createdAt": "2026-02-20T14:15:00Z"
    }
  ],
  "cursor": "eyJpZCI6MTAwfQ=="
}

get_dataset

Gets details for a specific dataset. Parameters:
  • uid (string, required) — The unique identifier (UUID) of the dataset
Example response:
{
  "uid": "d8f2e1a4-3b7c-4e9f-a1d6-5c8b9e0f2a3d",
  "name": "Urban Driving Q1",
  "slug": "urban-driving-q1",
  "dataType": "lidar",
  "itemCount": 12450,
  "sequenceCount": 85,
  "visibility": "private",
  "status": "active",
  "owner": "acme-robotics",
  "createdAt": "2026-01-15T08:30:00Z",
  "updatedAt": "2026-03-10T11:45:00Z"
}
Error response (invalid UID):
{
  "error": "not_found",
  "message": "Dataset with UID 'invalid-uid-here' was not found.",
  "status": 404
}

list_projects

Lists all annotation projects. Parameters:
  • limit (number, optional) — Maximum number of projects to return
  • cursor (string, optional) — Pagination cursor from a previous request

get_project

Gets details for a specific project. Parameters:
  • uid (string, required) — The unique identifier (UUID) of the project

create_dataset

Creates a new dataset for annotation. Parameters:
  • name (string, required) — Display name for the dataset
  • slug (string, required) — URL-friendly identifier for the dataset
  • dataType (string, required) — Type of data: image, video, lidar, or mcap
  • isSequence (boolean, optional) — Whether the dataset contains sequences (default: false)
  • visibility (string, optional) — Dataset visibility: private or public (default: private)
  • createMetadata (boolean, optional) — Whether to create dataset metadata (default: true)
  • providerConfig (object, optional) — Cloud storage provider configuration
  • ownerName (string, optional) — Dataset owner username or email

create_export

Triggers a new export for a dataset or project. Parameters:
  • project (string, optional) — Project UID to export
  • dataset (string, optional) — Dataset UID to export
Example response:
{
  "uid": "e3a1b2c4-9d8f-4e7a-b6c5-d4e3f2a1b0c9",
  "status": "pending",
  "project": "770a9600-a40d-63f6-c938-668877660000",
  "createdAt": "2026-03-19T10:00:00Z"
}

get_export_status

Checks the status of an export. Parameters:
  • uid (string, required) — The unique identifier (UUID) of the export
Example response:
{
  "uid": "e3a1b2c4-9d8f-4e7a-b6c5-d4e3f2a1b0c9",
  "status": "completed",
  "project": "770a9600-a40d-63f6-c938-668877660000",
  "downloadUrl": "https://api.avala.ai/exports/e3a1b2c4-9d8f-4e7a-b6c5-d4e3f2a1b0c9/download",
  "fileSize": 52428800,
  "createdAt": "2026-03-19T10:00:00Z",
  "completedAt": "2026-03-19T10:02:34Z"
}

list_exports

Lists all exports in the workspace. Parameters:
  • limit (number, optional) — Maximum number of exports to return
  • cursor (string, optional) — Pagination cursor from a previous request

get_workspace_stats

Gets a quick check of workspace contents (datasets, projects, exports). Parameters: None Example response:
{
  "datasets": 14,
  "projects": 7,
  "exports": 23,
  "tasks": {
    "total": 8420,
    "pending": 312,
    "completed": 7856,
    "inProgress": 252
  },
  "members": 18
}

list_tasks

Lists tasks with optional filtering by project or status. Parameters:
  • project (string, optional) — Filter by project UID
  • status (string, optional) — Filter by task status
  • limit (number, optional) — Maximum number of tasks to return
  • cursor (string, optional) — Pagination cursor from a previous request
Example response:
{
  "tasks": [
    {
      "uid": "t1a2b3c4-d5e6-f7a8-b9c0-d1e2f3a4b5c6",
      "status": "completed",
      "project": "770a9600-a40d-63f6-c938-668877660000",
      "assignee": "jane.doe@acme.com",
      "completedAt": "2026-03-18T16:30:00Z"
    },
    {
      "uid": "t7e8f9a0-b1c2-d3e4-f5a6-b7c8d9e0f1a2",
      "status": "pending",
      "project": "770a9600-a40d-63f6-c938-668877660000",
      "assignee": null,
      "completedAt": null
    }
  ],
  "cursor": "eyJ0YXNrSWQiOjUwfQ=="
}

get_task

Gets detailed information about a specific task. Parameters:
  • uid (string, required) — The unique identifier (UUID) of the task

list_agents

Lists all automation agents configured in your workspace. Parameters:
  • limit (number, optional) — Maximum number of agents to return
  • cursor (string, optional) — Pagination cursor from a previous request

get_agent

Gets detailed information about a specific automation agent. Parameters:
  • uid (string, required) — The unique identifier (UUID) of the agent

create_agent

Creates a new automation agent with event subscriptions and a callback URL. Parameters:
  • name (string, required) — Name of the agent
  • events (string[], required) — List of event types the agent subscribes to
  • callbackUrl (string, optional) — URL to receive event callbacks
  • description (string, optional) — Description of the agent
  • project (string, optional) — Project UID to scope the agent to
  • taskTypes (string[], optional) — Task types the agent handles

delete_agent

Deletes an automation agent by its UID. Parameters:
  • uid (string, required) — The unique identifier (UUID) of the agent to delete

list_webhooks

Lists all webhook subscriptions in your workspace. Parameters:
  • limit (number, optional) — Maximum number of webhooks to return
  • cursor (string, optional) — Pagination cursor from a previous request

create_webhook

Creates a new webhook subscription for specific events. Parameters:
  • targetUrl (string, required) — URL to receive webhook deliveries
  • events (string[], required) — List of event types to subscribe to

delete_webhook

Deletes a webhook subscription by its UID. Parameters:
  • uid (string, required) — The unique identifier (UUID) of the webhook to delete

list_storage_configs

Lists all storage configurations in your workspace. Parameters:
  • limit (number, optional) — Maximum number of storage configs to return
  • cursor (string, optional) — Pagination cursor from a previous request

create_storage_config

Creates a new storage configuration (S3 or Google Cloud Storage). Parameters:
  • name (string, required) — Name for the storage configuration
  • provider (string, required) — Storage provider type (s3 or gcs)
  • s3BucketName (string, optional) — S3 bucket name
  • s3BucketRegion (string, optional) — S3 bucket region
  • s3BucketPrefix (string, optional) — S3 key prefix
  • s3AccessKeyId (string, optional) — S3 access key ID (stored securely server-side)
  • s3SecretAccessKey (string, optional) — S3 secret access key (stored securely server-side)
  • s3IsAccelerated (boolean, optional) — Enable S3 Transfer Acceleration
  • gcStorageBucketName (string, optional) — Google Cloud Storage bucket name
  • gcStoragePrefix (string, optional) — Google Cloud Storage prefix
  • gcStorageAuthJsonContent (string, optional) — GCS service account JSON credentials (stored securely server-side)

test_storage_config

Tests connectivity for a storage configuration. Parameters:
  • uid (string, required) — The unique identifier (UUID) of the storage config to test

delete_storage_config

Deletes a storage configuration by its UID. Parameters:
  • uid (string, required) — The unique identifier (UUID) of the storage config to delete

list_quality_targets

Lists quality targets configured for a specific project. Parameters:
  • projectUid (string, required) — The unique identifier (UUID) of the project
  • limit (number, optional) — Maximum number of quality targets to return
  • cursor (string, optional) — Pagination cursor from a previous request

evaluate_quality

Evaluates all quality targets for a project and returns their current status. Parameters:
  • projectUid (string, required) — The unique identifier (UUID) of the project to evaluate

get_consensus_summary

Gets a consensus summary for a project including mean/median scores and distribution. Parameters:
  • projectUid (string, required) — The unique identifier (UUID) of the project

compute_consensus

Triggers consensus computation for a project. Parameters:
  • projectUid (string, required) — The unique identifier (UUID) of the project

list_organizations

Lists all organizations you are a member of. Parameters:
  • limit (number, optional) — Maximum number of organizations to return
  • cursor (string, optional) — Pagination cursor from a previous request

get_organization

Gets detailed information about a specific organization. Parameters:
  • slug (string, required) — The slug identifier of the organization

list_slices

Lists slices for an owner (user or organization). Parameters:
  • owner (string, required) — Owner name (user or organization slug)
  • limit (number, optional) — Maximum number of slices to return
  • cursor (string, optional) — Pagination cursor from a previous request

get_slice

Gets detailed information about a specific slice. Parameters:
  • owner (string, required) — Owner name (user or organization slug)
  • slug (string, required) — The slug of the slice

list_annotation_issues_by_sequence

Lists all annotation issues for a specific sequence. Parameters:
  • sequenceUid (string, required) — The UUID of the sequence
  • datasetItemUid (string, optional) — Filter by dataset item UUID
  • projectUid (string, optional) — Filter by project UUID

create_annotation_issue

Creates a new annotation issue on a sequence. Parameters:
  • sequenceUid (string, required) — The UUID of the sequence
  • toolUid (string, required) — UUID of the annotation tool
  • problemUid (string, required) — UUID of the problem type
  • datasetItemUid (string, optional) — Dataset item UUID
  • projectUid (string, optional) — Project UUID
  • priority (string, optional) — Priority level: lowest, low, medium, high, highest
  • severity (string, optional) — Severity level: critical, moderate
  • description (string, optional) — Issue description
  • wrongClass (string, optional) — Incorrect class label
  • correctClass (string, optional) — Correct class label
  • objectUid (string, optional) — UUID of the annotation object
  • shouldReAnnotate (boolean, optional) — Whether to re-annotate
  • shouldDelete (boolean, optional) — Whether to delete the annotation
  • framesAffected (string, optional) — Frames affected by the issue

update_annotation_issue

Updates an existing annotation issue (status, priority, etc.). Parameters:
  • sequenceUid (string, required) — The UUID of the sequence
  • issueUid (string, required) — The UUID of the annotation issue
  • status (string, optional) — Status: open, relabeling, in_review, completed, cant_reproduce, awaiting_feedback, no_action_taken
  • priority (string, optional) — Priority level: lowest, low, medium, high, highest
  • severity (string, optional) — Severity level: critical, moderate
  • description (string, optional) — Updated description
  • toolUid (string, optional) — UUID of the annotation tool
  • problemUid (string, optional) — UUID of the problem type
  • wrongClass (string, optional) — Incorrect class label
  • framesAffected (string, optional) — Frames affected by the issue

delete_annotation_issue

Deletes an annotation issue. Parameters:
  • sequenceUid (string, required) — The UUID of the sequence
  • issueUid (string, required) — The UUID of the annotation issue to delete

list_annotation_issues_by_dataset

Lists all annotation issues for a dataset. Parameters:
  • owner (string, required) — Dataset owner username
  • datasetSlug (string, required) — Dataset slug
  • sequenceUid (string, optional) — Filter by sequence UUID

get_annotation_issue_metrics

Gets aggregated metrics for annotation issues in a dataset (status/priority/severity counts, close times). Parameters:
  • owner (string, required) — Dataset owner username
  • datasetSlug (string, required) — Dataset slug
  • sequenceUid (string, optional) — Filter by sequence UUID

list_qc_tools

Lists available QC annotation tools for a given dataset type. Parameters:
  • datasetType (string, required) — The dataset type (e.g., lidar, image, video)

fleet_list_devices

Lists fleet devices with optional filters. Parameters:
  • status (string, optional) — Filter by device status (online, offline, maintenance)
  • type (string, optional) — Filter by device type
  • limit (number, optional) — Maximum number of devices to return
  • cursor (string, optional) — Pagination cursor
Example response:
{
  "devices": [
    {
      "uid": "dev-a1b2c3d4-e5f6-7890-abcd-ef1234567890",
      "name": "Forklift Sensor Unit 12",
      "type": "lidar-sensor",
      "status": "online",
      "firmwareVersion": "2.4.1",
      "lastSeenAt": "2026-03-19T09:55:00Z",
      "tags": ["warehouse-a", "forklift"]
    },
    {
      "uid": "dev-b2c3d4e5-f6a7-8901-bcde-f12345678901",
      "name": "Dock Camera 3",
      "type": "camera",
      "status": "offline",
      "firmwareVersion": "1.8.0",
      "lastSeenAt": "2026-03-18T23:10:00Z",
      "tags": ["dock", "exterior"]
    }
  ],
  "cursor": "eyJkZXZpY2VJZCI6MjB9"
}

fleet_get_device

Gets detailed information about a specific fleet device. Parameters:
  • uid (string, required) — The unique identifier of the device

fleet_list_recordings

Lists fleet recordings with optional filters. Parameters:
  • device (string, optional) — Filter by device UID
  • status (string, optional) — Filter by recording status
  • limit (number, optional) — Maximum number of recordings to return
  • cursor (string, optional) — Pagination cursor

fleet_get_recording

Gets detailed information about a specific recording. Parameters:
  • uid (string, required) — The unique identifier of the recording

fleet_list_events

Lists fleet events with optional filters. Parameters:
  • recording (string, optional) — Filter by recording UID
  • device (string, optional) — Filter by device UID
  • type (string, optional) — Filter by event type
  • severity (string, optional) — Filter by severity
  • limit (number, optional) — Maximum number of events to return
  • cursor (string, optional) — Pagination cursor

fleet_list_alerts

Lists fleet alerts with optional filters. Parameters:
  • status (string, optional) — Filter by alert status (open, acknowledged, resolved)
  • severity (string, optional) — Filter by severity (info, warning, error, critical)
  • device (string, optional) — Filter by device UID
  • rule (string, optional) — Filter by rule UID
  • limit (number, optional) — Maximum number of alerts to return
  • cursor (string, optional) — Pagination cursor
Example response:
{
  "alerts": [
    {
      "uid": "alert-c3d4e5f6-a7b8-9012-cdef-123456789012",
      "status": "open",
      "severity": "warning",
      "device": "dev-a1b2c3d4-e5f6-7890-abcd-ef1234567890",
      "rule": "rule-d4e5f6a7-b8c9-0123-defa-234567890123",
      "message": "Device temperature exceeded threshold (72C)",
      "createdAt": "2026-03-19T08:45:00Z"
    },
    {
      "uid": "alert-e5f6a7b8-c9d0-1234-efab-345678901234",
      "status": "acknowledged",
      "severity": "critical",
      "device": "dev-b2c3d4e5-f6a7-8901-bcde-f12345678901",
      "rule": "rule-f6a7b8c9-d0e1-2345-fabc-456789012345",
      "message": "Device offline for more than 24 hours",
      "createdAt": "2026-03-18T09:00:00Z",
      "acknowledgedAt": "2026-03-18T10:30:00Z"
    }
  ],
  "cursor": "eyJhbGVydElkIjoxMH0="
}

fleet_list_rules

Lists fleet rules with optional filters. Parameters:
  • enabled (boolean, optional) — Filter by enabled status
  • limit (number, optional) — Maximum number of rules to return
  • cursor (string, optional) — Pagination cursor

fleet_register_device

Registers a new fleet device. Parameters:
  • name (string, required) — Name of the device
  • type (string, required) — Type of the device
  • firmwareVersion (string, optional) — Firmware version
  • tags (string[], optional) — Tags for the device

fleet_acknowledge_alert

Acknowledges a fleet alert. Parameters:
  • uid (string, required) — The unique identifier of the alert to acknowledge

Recipes

Multi-step workflows you can run through natural language. Each recipe shows the tool calls the assistant makes behind the scenes.

Recipe 1: Dataset health check

Ask your assistant: “Give me a health check on my workspace — how many datasets do I have, and which ones have the most items?” Step 1 — The assistant calls get_workspace_stats to get the overview.
{
  "datasets": 14,
  "projects": 7,
  "exports": 23,
  "tasks": { "total": 8420, "pending": 312, "completed": 7856, "inProgress": 252 },
  "members": 18
}
Step 2 — The assistant calls list_datasets with limit: 50 to fetch all datasets. Step 3 — The assistant sorts the results by itemCount and presents a ranked summary:
You have 14 datasets. The three largest are:
  1. Warehouse Cameras — 34,200 items (image)
  2. Urban Driving Q1 — 12,450 items (lidar)
  3. Parking Lot Footage — 8,900 items (video)

Recipe 2: Export and download

Ask your assistant: “Export the Urban Driving Q1 project and let me know when it’s ready.” Step 1 — The assistant calls list_projects to find the project UID matching “Urban Driving Q1.” Step 2 — The assistant calls create_export with the project UID.
{
  "uid": "e3a1b2c4-9d8f-4e7a-b6c5-d4e3f2a1b0c9",
  "status": "pending",
  "project": "770a9600-a40d-63f6-c938-668877660000",
  "createdAt": "2026-03-19T10:00:00Z"
}
Step 3 — The assistant polls get_export_status until the status changes to completed.
{
  "uid": "e3a1b2c4-9d8f-4e7a-b6c5-d4e3f2a1b0c9",
  "status": "completed",
  "downloadUrl": "https://api.avala.ai/exports/e3a1b2c4-9d8f-4e7a-b6c5-d4e3f2a1b0c9/download",
  "fileSize": 52428800,
  "completedAt": "2026-03-19T10:02:34Z"
}
Step 4 — The assistant provides the download link and file size.
Your export is ready (50 MB). Download it here: https://api.avala.ai/exports/.../download

Recipe 3: Quality audit across projects

Ask your assistant: “Evaluate quality targets for all my projects and flag any that are failing.” Step 1 — The assistant calls list_projects to retrieve all projects. Step 2 — For each project, the assistant calls evaluate_quality with the project UID. Step 3 — The assistant aggregates the results and highlights failures:
5 of 7 projects are passing all quality targets. Two need attention:
  • Sidewalk Segmentation — “Label accuracy” target at 88% (threshold: 95%)
  • Fleet Camera Review — “Consensus score” target at 0.72 (threshold: 0.85)

Recipe 4: Fleet device monitoring

Ask your assistant: “Show me all fleet alerts that haven’t been acknowledged yet, grouped by severity.” Step 1 — The assistant calls fleet_list_alerts with status: "open". Step 2 — The assistant groups and formats the response:
Critical (1)
  • Dock Camera 3 — “Device offline for more than 24 hours” (since Mar 18)
Warning (2)
  • Forklift Sensor Unit 12 — “Device temperature exceeded threshold (72C)” (since Mar 19)
  • Rooftop LiDAR 1 — “Low disk space (< 5%)” (since Mar 19)
Step 3 — You can follow up: “Acknowledge all the warning-level alerts.” The assistant calls fleet_acknowledge_alert for each warning alert UID.

Recipe 5: Annotation issue triage

Ask your assistant: “Get the annotation issue metrics for the urban-driving-q1 dataset and show me the breakdown.” Step 1 — The assistant calls get_annotation_issue_metrics with owner and dataset slug. Step 2 — The assistant presents a formatted summary:
Urban Driving Q1 — Issue Metrics By status: 12 open, 5 in review, 3 relabeling, 45 completed By severity: 8 critical, 57 moderate By priority: 2 highest, 6 high, 18 medium, 25 low, 14 lowest Average close time: 4.2 hours
Step 3 — You follow up: “List the open critical issues.” The assistant calls list_annotation_issues_by_dataset with filters and shows the results.

Example Prompts

Here are some natural-language prompts you can use with any MCP-compatible client:
List all my datasets
Show me the details of dataset "autonomous-driving-v3"
What's the status of the "Lidar QA" project?
Create an export for project 770a9600-a40d-63f6-c938-668877660000
How many exports do I have?
Show my workspace stats
List all my automation agents
Create a webhook for task.completed events pointing to https://my-server.com/hooks
Show me the quality targets for project proj_abc123
What's the consensus score summary for my annotation project?
List all organizations I belong to
Show workspace storage config list
List all online fleet devices
Show me open critical alerts across the fleet
Register a new lidar-sensor device called "Rooftop Unit 5"
The AI assistant will call the appropriate Avala MCP tool, process the response, and present the results in a readable format. You can chain requests in a single conversation — for example, list datasets, pick one, then view export status.

Troubleshooting

AVALA_API_KEY not set

The MCP server exits immediately with error code 1 if the AVALA_API_KEY environment variable is missing. Make sure the key is set in the env block of your MCP config or exported in your shell before launching the server.
Error: AVALA_API_KEY environment variable is required

Mutation tools not appearing

If tools like create_export, create_agent, or fleet_register_device are missing from the tool list, you need to set AVALA_MCP_ENABLE_MUTATIONS=true in the server environment. Add it to the env block in your MCP configuration file:
{
  "env": {
    "AVALA_API_KEY": "your-api-key",
    "AVALA_MCP_ENABLE_MUTATIONS": "true"
  }
}

npx not found or wrong Node.js version

The MCP server requires Node.js 18 or later. If you see npx: command not found or module syntax errors, verify your Node.js version:
node --version  # Must be v18.0.0 or later

Stale cached MCP server

If you recently updated the @avala-ai/mcp-server package but still see old behavior or missing tools, npx may be serving a cached version. Force a fresh install:
npx --yes @avala-ai/mcp-server@latest
Then restart your MCP client.

API key invalid or expired

If tool calls return 401 Unauthorized, your API key may be invalid, expired, or revoked. Generate a new key in Mission Control under Settings > Security and update your MCP configuration.
The Avala MCP server is open source. Visit the GitHub repository to view the source code or contribute.