DAX Formatter is a free service by SQLBI that formats DAX expressions according to the rules for DAX code formatting. All the formatting happens server-side at https://api.daxformatter.com: the tools described here are clients, transports, and integrations around that single service.
Formatting a DAX expression also validates it. If the expression contains a syntax error, the service reports it with the line and column of the problem instead of returning formatted code.
Ways to access DAX Formatter
Beyond the web interface, the DAX Formatter service can be reached programmatically and from AI assistants:
- NuGet package
Dax.Formatter: a .NET client library to format and validate DAX from your own applications and scripts. - MCP Server (HTTP): a remote, hosted Model Context Protocol server. Add one URL to your AI client and let it format DAX: no install, no account.
- MCP Server (stdio): a local MCP server run through
npx, for AI clients and IDE agents that launch tools as a local process. - GitHub repository: the open-source
sql-bi/DaxFormatterrepository that hosts the .NET and TypeScript clients and the stdio MCP server.
Which one should I use?
| You want to… | Use |
|---|---|
| Format/validate DAX from .NET code | NuGet package Dax.Formatter |
| Format DAX from an AI assistant with zero setup | MCP Server (HTTP) |
| Run the MCP server locally as a process | MCP Server (stdio) |
| Read the source, file issues, or contribute | GitHub repository |
Both MCP servers expose the same single tool,
format_dax, and call the same DAX Formatter service. The HTTP server is remote and hosted by SQLBI; the stdio server runs on your machine.