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ABS Data (observed)

by SamJB123 · remote · no sign-in to list tools · v0.1.0 · published by GitHub user SamJB123

Australian Bureau of Statistics data: 1,227 tables, offering only options confirmed to serve data

Changes · 2

6 tools: 2 change things and 4 only read.

Scanned Oct 21, 2026

1 check matched something in the tool definitions. No finding is not a safety guarantee. How the checks work.

claude mcp add --transport http abs-data https://abs-data-front-door.aicolab.workers.dev/mcp

Findings

Matches of fixed checks, with the text they matched.

1 info
  • The description is 2,093 characters long, over the 2,000 this check looks for.

    Matched text

    description ends: "...validOptions?, alternatives? } — catch it, read validOptions, correct and retry."

    What this check looks for

Tools

Open a tool for its reasons and full description. Descriptions are the publisher's own words, shown as they are.

6 tools

Changes things 2Claude Code: ask
  • executeRun JavaScript in an isolated sandbox whose only capability is `abs`, a client with the same four verbs as this server (searchTables, describeTable, searchOptions, getData) and the…1 finding

    Why it is in this group

    • The name "execute" says "execute": a word for a change.
    • The input takes a statement or command to run (input.code), which can change anything it can reach.

    Findings

    • Info

      The description is 2,093 characters long, over the 2,000 this check looks for.

      Matched text

      description ends: "...validOptions?, alternatives? } — catch it, read validOptions, correct and retry."

      What this check looks for
    Description, as the server wrote it
    Run JavaScript in an isolated sandbox whose only capability is `abs`, a client with the same four verbs as this server (searchTables, describeTable, searchOptions, getData) and the same guarantees: every selection is verified against ABS before fetching. Use it for multi-series or multi-table analysis — fetch several series, compute growth rates, rank capitals, join tables — and `return` only the computed result, so large payloads never reach the conversation. No network beyond `abs`. Budgets: 10s CPU, 50 calls, 25s wall clock, 200KB result. Your code runs inside an async function; use `await`; console.log is captured. // The `abs` object available in execute(): interface Abs { searchTables(input: { query?: string; geography?: string; frequency?: "A"|"S"|"Q"|"M"|"W"|"D"; limit?: number }): Promise<{ results: TableSummary[]; total: number }>; describeTable(table: string): Promise<{ table: TableSummary; dimensions: { id: string; position: number; optionCount: number; options?: { code: string; label: string|null }[] }[]; keyFormat: string }>; searchOptions(input: { table: string; dimension: string; query: string; limit?: number }): Promise<{ options: { code: string; label: string|null; parent?: string|null }[]; total: number }>; getData(input: { table: string; select?: Record<string, string|string[]>; startPeriod?: string; endPeriod?: string; lastN?: number; firstN?: number; maxRows?: number }): Promise<{ key: string; rows: { series: string; period: string; value: number|null; unit?: string|null }[]; rowsReturned: number; truncated: boolean; seriesMatched: number; fullDataUrl: string }>; } interface TableSummary { id: string; name: string|null; seriesCount: number; frequencies: string[]; coverage: { from: string|null; to: string|null }; dimensions: string[]; family: string|null; geography: string|null; matchedOptions?: { dimension: string; code: string; label: string|null }[] } // getData throws an Error whose message is JSON: { reason, dimension, message, validOptions?, alternatives? } — catch it, read validOptions, correct and retry.
Only reads 4Claude Code: allow
  • describe_tableA table's dimensions in key order, its coverage dates, and its observed options.No findings

    Why it is in this group

    • The name "describe_table" says "describe": a word for reading.
    Description, as the server wrote it
    A table's dimensions in key order, its coverage dates, and its observed options. Dimensions with up to 64 options list them inline with labels; larger ones (geography, occupations) say how many and are searchable with search_options.
  • get_dataFetch observations.No findings

    Why it is in this group

    • The name "get_data" says "get": a word for reading.
    Description, as the server wrote it
    Fetch observations. `select` maps dimension ids to option codes or labels (several allowed); omitted dimensions match everything. The selection is verified live against ABS before fetching, so a call that succeeds always returns real data. Returns up to maxRows observations (default 500, most recent 12 periods per series unless a period range is given), a summary, and the URL for the complete pull. If an option or combination does not exist you are asked to choose from the valid ones.
  • search_optionsFind option codes by label text within one dimension of one table — e.g.No findings

    Why it is in this group

    • The name "search_options" says "search": a word for reading.
    Description, as the server wrote it
    Find option codes by label text within one dimension of one table — e.g. a suburb name in a geography dimension. Returns codes to use in get_data's select.
  • search_tablesFind ABS statistical tables (dataflows) by topic words, geography level or frequency.No findings

    Why it is in this group

    • The name "search_tables" says "search": a word for reading.
    Description, as the server wrote it
    Find ABS statistical tables (dataflows) by topic words, geography level or frequency. Matches table names, topics and dimension names, and also option labels inside dimensions — a search for 'rent' finds CPI through its INDEX option 'Rents' and reports the match in matchedOptions. Census tables published at several geography levels are collapsed to one result with familyGeographies listing the others (use the geography filter to pick one). Every result is confirmed to serve data — nothing here comes from documentation alone. Start here, then describe_table.

This is not a safety rating, and no finding is not a safety guarantee. The groups and findings come from fixed checks of the tool definitions the server returned on the date shown, not from its code or what it does when called. How the checks work.

Install

Pinned to version 0.1.0. Values in angle brackets are yours to fill in.

claude mcp add --transport http abs-data https://abs-data-front-door.aicolab.workers.dev/mcp

Run in a terminal.

Claude Code permissions

Allow the reads, ask before a change, deny the deletes. Paste into .claude/settings.json.

.claude/settings.json
{
  "permissions": {
    "allow": [
      "mcp__abs-data__search_tables",
      "mcp__abs-data__describe_table",
      "mcp__abs-data__search_options",
      "mcp__abs-data__get_data"
    ],
    "ask": [
      "mcp__abs-data__search",
      "mcp__abs-data__execute"
    ],
    "deny": []
  }
}

Tools that only read are allowed, tools that change things ask first, tools that delete or cancel are denied. It assumes the server is installed as abs-data. Review it before you use it.