feat: Add helpful error message for database connection failures

- Catch Redis/database connection errors during initialization
- Provide clear, formatted error messages with startup instructions
- Include provider-specific guidance (FalkorDB vs Neo4j)
- Improves developer experience when database is not running

mcp_server/src/graphiti_mcp_server.py

@@ -209,6 +209,7 @@ class GraphitiService:
             self.entity_types = custom_types
 
             # Initialize Graphiti client with appropriate driver
+            try:
                 if self.config.database.provider.lower() == 'falkordb':
                     # For FalkorDB, create a FalkorDriver instance directly
                     from graphiti_core.driver.falkordb_driver import FalkorDriver
@@ -236,6 +237,33 @@ class GraphitiService:
                         embedder=embedder_client,
                         max_coroutines=self.semaphore_limit,
                     )
+            except Exception as db_error:
+                # Check for connection errors
+                error_msg = str(db_error).lower()
+                if 'connection refused' in error_msg or 'could not connect' in error_msg:
+                    db_provider = self.config.database.provider
+                    if db_provider.lower() == 'falkordb':
+                        raise RuntimeError(
+                            f"\n{'='*70}\n"
+                            f"Database Connection Error: FalkorDB is not running\n"
+                            f"{'='*70}\n\n"
+                            f"FalkorDB at {db_config['host']}:{db_config['port']} is not accessible.\n\n"
+                            f"To start FalkorDB:\n"
+                            f"  - Using Docker Compose: cd mcp_server && docker compose up\n"
+                            f"  - Or run FalkorDB manually: docker run -p 6379:6379 falkordb/falkordb\n\n"
+                            f"{'='*70}\n"
+                        ) from db_error
+                    else:
+                        raise RuntimeError(
+                            f"\n{'='*70}\n"
+                            f"Database Connection Error: {db_provider} is not running\n"
+                            f"{'='*70}\n\n"
+                            f"{db_provider} at {db_config.get('uri', 'unknown')} is not accessible.\n\n"
+                            f"Please ensure {db_provider} is running and accessible.\n\n"
+                            f"{'='*70}\n"
+                        ) from db_error
+                # Re-raise other errors
+                raise
 
             # Build indices
             await self.client.build_indices_and_constraints()