# Chroma L1 · Needs a person Chroma is a database that stores data for AI search. **Can an AI agent use Chroma? No.** Our agent couldn't get into Chroma on its own. Category: Vector databases · Connects by: MCP, API, CLI, SDK · Agent payments: Stripe Projects · Driven: 31 Oct 2026 **How to connect** - MCP server URL: `https://mcp.trychroma.com/package-search/v1` (streamable HTTP, tested in our drive). Source: https://mcp.trychroma.com/package-search/v1 - Docs page: `https://docs.trychroma.com/docs/overview/introduction` (tested in our drive). Source: https://docs.trychroma.com/docs/overview/introduction **Level 1: Needs a person.** Agents can't get in on their own. - Got in by: A person sets it up (Not on its own in its last 2 drives) - Got as far as: Sign up (Use, Pay and Leave not reached) - To reach L2: Let an agent sign up on its own. [What the levels mean](https://agentdrives.com/method/levels?via=md) ## From finding it to leaving What an agent managed without a person, at each step. 1. **Find**: On its own. Docs it can act on: llms.txt, an OpenAPI and an MCP server. 179 doc pages read. 2. **Get in**: Stopped. Can't sign up. Sign-up is refused with 'Signups are temporarily disabled' and shows nothing on the page. Stopped here. 3. **Use**: Not reached. Tasks need an account. 4. **Pay**: Not reached. Buying needs an account. 1 way for agents to pay. 5. **Leave**: Not reached. Nothing to cancel or delete. ## Getting in None of the 3 ways in worked without a person. Where it stopped: **Email and password**. Sign-up is refused with 'Signups are temporarily disabled' and shows nothing on the page. - Both kinds of agent (On a server, or in its own browser): No. Stops at sign-up: the sign-up refused our agent. - Signed agent (Known to Cloudflare): Yes. The sign-up page opens. | Way in | What happened | |---|---| | Email and password | Refused | | CLI code login | Not reached | | Runs locally, no account | Not tried: The same as another way | [Let AI agents sign up and get an API key](https://agentdrives.com/guides/let-agents-sign-up-and-get-a-key.md?via=md) ## What an agent can do with Chroma No task was tried: our agent couldn't get into Chroma. Core tasks Chroma offers an agent: - Create a collection (API) - Add documents/embeddings to a collection (API) - Run a vector (semantic) search query (API) - Run a full-text or regex search over documents (API) - Filter records by metadata (API) - Update or delete records in a collection (API) - List, get or delete databases and read collection schema (API, CLI) - Fork a collection (API) - Sync external data (S3, GitHub, web) into a collection (API) - Search package/dependency source code for coding agents (MCP) What it can't do, and why: - Use any product feature such as collections, search or Package Search: Every call needs an API key that only a Cloud account can get. 10 more tasks it offers: - Combine vector, sparse, full-text and metadata search in one hybrid query (API) - Run a sparse (BM25/SPLADE) vector search (API) - Run Chroma locally or self-hosted (in-memory, persistent, client-server) (CLI) - Choose an embedding function/model for a collection (API) - Connect to a non-default Cloud region (Web app) - View collection data and usage in the Cloud dashboard (API, CLI) - Monitor Sync invocations and their status (API) - Deploy a dedicated/single-tenant or BYOC Chroma cluster - Configure SSO/SAML/SCIM for the account - Invite team members and manage database access (Web app) **Surface audit:** 81 documented operations, 7 run, 7 passed, 71 blocked (sandbox or plan limits), 3 left out to stay safe. ### Self-hosted edition L4 · Runs on its own. Chroma also ships an edition you run yourself. Our agent installed it on its own server in about 2 minutes and drove it the same way, doing 88% of the core work. ## How an agent connects MCP, API, OpenAPI, CLI, SDK, agent payments and llms.txt, all found. Agent surfaces: API tested · MCP documented · CLI tested · SDK documented · Docs tested · Agent payments documented. Issues found: 3. - **MCP server**: Listed, not tested. Official server. Package Search MCP, 3 tools, API key. https://mcp.trychroma.com/package-search/v1 (3 tools across its docs) 3 tools listed without signing in on 1 Nov 2026: `package_search_grep`, `package_search_hybrid`, `package_search_read_file`. - **API**: 5 tested. REST v2, 41 operations, x-chroma-token. (52 operations across its docs) - **OpenAPI**: Yes. 3.1.0; plus a Sync API spec, 11 operations. - **CLI**: 2 tested. chroma 1.4.4. (12 commands across its docs) - **SDK**: Listed, not tested. (11 methods across its docs) - **llms.txt**: Yes. https://www.trychroma.com/llms.txt - **Agent payments**: Yes. Stripe Projects. The checkout wasn't reached: Team, $250 a month. - **Docs**: No gaps in what we read. Covers getting started, auth, error codes and code examples. https://docs.trychroma.com/docs/overview/introduction (179 of 183 pages read) [The standards](https://agentdrives.com/standard) ## Tips for agent builders - Use open-source ChromaDB (pip install chromadb, chroma run) for new work: Chroma Cloud refuses new sign-ups and is winding down. - Read the sign-up call's JSON (SIGNUPS_DISABLED) rather than the form, which shows nothing. ## How Chroma compares In Vector databases: 3 of the 6 products we drove in Vector databases are higher; 2 others share L1. - [LanceDB](https://agentdrives.com/tools/lancedb.md?via=md): L4, Gets in on its own - [Zilliz](https://agentdrives.com/tools/zilliz.md?via=md): L4, Gets in on its own - [Weaviate](https://agentdrives.com/tools/weaviate.md?via=md): L4, Gets in on its own - **Chroma** (this page): L1, Can't sign up on its own - [Pinecone](https://agentdrives.com/tools/pinecone.md?via=md): L1, Can't sign up on its own - [turbopuffer](https://agentdrives.com/tools/turbopuffer.md?via=md): L1, Can't get an API key on its own [All 6 in Vector databases](https://agentdrives.com/categories/vector-databases?via=md) Sorted by level, then work done, then time to the first call. [How we rank](https://agentdrives.com/method?via=md#order) On our standard (25 criteria: against other vector databases products where we measured 5 or more, otherwise against every product we measured): - [Pages fit one fetch](https://agentdrives.com/standard#docs-08): **The best result** All 5 others (vector databases products) lower. - [One way to page through lists](https://agentdrives.com/standard#api-03): **Ahead of most** 78 of 87 others (every product) lower, 9 the same. - [Errors a program can read](https://agentdrives.com/standard#err-02): **Ahead of most** 3 of 5 others (vector databases products) lower, 2 the same. - [Descriptions that say when to use the tool](https://agentdrives.com/standard#mcp-04): **In the middle** 2 of 4 others (vector databases products) lower, 2 the same. - [Agents pick the right tool](https://agentdrives.com/standard#mcp-05): **In the middle** 2 of 4 others (vector databases products) lower, 2 the same. - [Sign-in for agents acting for a person](https://agentdrives.com/standard#in-08): **Level with most** 64 of 119 others (every product) the same, 55 lower. - [Docs an agent can navigate](https://agentdrives.com/standard#docs-11): **Level with most** 3 of 5 others (vector databases products) the same, 2 lower. - [Fast to the first call](https://agentdrives.com/standard#in-03): **Level with most** 3 of 5 others (vector databases products) the same, 2 lower. - [A request id on every answer](https://agentdrives.com/standard#err-07): **Level with most** 3 of 5 others (vector databases products) the same, 2 lower. - [Versions an agent can pin](https://agentdrives.com/standard#api-07): **Level with most** 59 of 97 others (every product) the same, 38 lower. - [Prices an agent can read](https://agentdrives.com/standard#find-06): **Level with most** 4 of 5 others (vector databases products) the same, 1 lower. - [Errors say what to do next](https://agentdrives.com/standard#err-03): **Level with most** 4 of 5 others (vector databases products) the same, 1 lower. - [A path written for agents](https://agentdrives.com/standard#docs-10): **Level with most** 3 of 5 others (vector databases products) the same, 1 lower, 1 higher. - [Tool names that sort themselves](https://agentdrives.com/standard#mcp-03): **The same as all** 4 others (vector databases products). - [A tool list that fits](https://agentdrives.com/standard#mcp-11): **The same as all** 4 others (vector databases products). - [Real status codes](https://agentdrives.com/standard#err-01): **The same as all** 5 others (vector databases products). - [Spend an agent can see and cap](https://agentdrives.com/standard#pay-05): **The same as all** 5 others (vector databases products). - [WebMCP tools on the web app](https://agentdrives.com/standard#proto-02): **The same as all** 5 others (vector databases products). - [Limits known before they hit](https://agentdrives.com/standard#lim-02): **Level with most** 26 of 47 others (every product) the same, 21 higher. - [Every way in works for an agent](https://agentdrives.com/standard#in-11): **Behind most** 3 of 5 others (vector databases products) higher, 2 the same. - [The best way in is built for agents](https://agentdrives.com/standard#in-12): **Behind most** 3 of 5 others (vector databases products) higher, 2 the same. - [Typed, tight input schemas](https://agentdrives.com/standard#mcp-06): **Behind most** 3 of 4 others (vector databases products) higher, 1 the same. - [Truthful annotations](https://agentdrives.com/standard#mcp-07): **Behind most** 3 of 4 others (vector databases products) higher, 1 the same. - [Export before leaving](https://agentdrives.com/standard#leave-03): **Behind most** 4 of 5 others (vector databases products) higher, 1 the same. - [Answers sized for an agent](https://agentdrives.com/standard#api-04): **The lowest result** All 4 others (vector databases products) higher. [How each criterion is graded](https://agentdrives.com/standard) ## For the team behind Chroma **5 things to fix for agents.** Agent blockers: 2 found · Agent surfaces: 1 issue found. Safety review: 1 issue found. Agents get stuck at Get in. Prove Chroma is yours, then see where each issue is, read your safety findings and ask for a free drive after a fix. How to fix each one comes with the Audit. - Find: Clear - Get in: Blocks agents - Use: Not reached - Pay: Not reached - Leave: Not reached [Claim Chroma, free](https://agentdrives.com/app/products?add=trychroma.com&ref=listing) · [What a drive covers](https://agentdrives.com/method?via=md) ## Where Chroma fits - Category: [Data and storage](https://agentdrives.com/categories/data?via=md), [Vector databases](https://agentdrives.com/categories/vector-databases?via=md) - Wall: [Let AI agents sign up and get an API key](https://agentdrives.com/guides/let-agents-sign-up-and-get-a-key?via=md) (fix guide) - Standards: [MCP](https://agentdrives.com/standards/mcp) (tools an agent can call), [OpenAPI](https://agentdrives.com/standards/openapi) (its API, described), [llms.txt](https://agentdrives.com/standards/llms-txt) (its docs, listed for agents) - Steps: [Find](https://agentdrives.com/access/find), [Get in](https://agentdrives.com/access/get-in) (stopped here), [Use](https://agentdrives.com/access/use), [Pay](https://agentdrives.com/access/pay), [Leave](https://agentdrives.com/access/leave) - Rivals: [Pinecone](https://agentdrives.com/tools/pinecone?via=md) (L1), [turbopuffer](https://agentdrives.com/tools/turbopuffer?via=md) (L1), [LanceDB](https://agentdrives.com/tools/lancedb?via=md) (L4) Data: [JSON](https://agentdrives.com/api/tools/trychroma.json?via=md) · [Markdown](https://agentdrives.com/tools/trychroma.md?via=md) · [History](https://agentdrives.com/tools/trychroma/history?via=md) · [Atom](https://agentdrives.com/feeds/tools/trychroma.atom) · [JSON Feed](https://agentdrives.com/feeds/tools/trychroma.json) · licence [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) **Found an error?** [Tell us on this page](https://agentdrives.com/tools/trychroma?via=md#correct) or read [how corrections work](https://agentdrives.com/corrections?via=md).