mysql-mcp

Last Updated February 26, 2026

📚 Full Documentation (Wiki) • Changelog • Security • Release Article

The Most Comprehensive MySQL MCP Server Available

mysql-mcp is the definitive Model Context Protocol server for MySQL — empowering AI assistants like AntiGravity, Claude, Cursor, and other MCP clients with unparalleled database capabilities, deterministic error handling, and process-isolated sandboxed code execution. Built for developers who demand enterprise-grade features without sacrificing ease of use.

🎯 What Sets Us Apart

🚀 Quick Start

Prerequisites

• Node.js 24+
• MySQL 5.7+ or 8.0+ server
• npm or yarn

Installation

NPM (Recommended)

npm install -g @neverinfamous/mysql-mcp

Run the server:

mysql-mcp --transport stdio --mysql mysql://user:password@localhost:3306/database

Or use npx without installing:

npx @neverinfamous/mysql-mcp --transport stdio --mysql mysql://user:password@localhost:3306/database

Docker

docker run -i --rm writenotenow/mysql-mcp:latest \
  --transport stdio \
  --mysql mysql://user:password@host.docker.internal:3306/database

From Source

git clone https://github.com/neverinfamous/mysql-mcp.git
cd mysql-mcp
npm install
npm run build
node dist/cli.js --transport stdio --mysql mysql://user:password@localhost:3306/database

Code Mode: Maximum Efficiency

Code Mode (mysql_execute_code) dramatically reduces token usage (70–90%) and is included by default in all presets.

Code executes in a worker-thread sandbox — a separate V8 isolate with its own memory space. All mysql.* API calls are forwarded to the main thread via a MessagePort-based RPC bridge, where the actual database operations execute. This provides:

• Process-level isolation — user code runs in a separate V8 instance with enforced heap limits
• Readonly enforcement — when readonly: true, write methods return structured errors instead of executing
• Hard timeouts — worker termination if execution exceeds the configured limit
• Full API access — all 24 tool groups are available via mysql.* (e.g., mysql.core.readQuery(), mysql.json.extract())

Set CODEMODE_ISOLATION=vm to fall back to the in-process vm module sandbox if needed.

⚡ Code Mode Only (Maximum Token Savings)

If you control your own setup, you can run with only Code Mode enabled — a single tool that provides access to all 192 tools' worth of capability through the mysql.* API:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "mysql-mcp": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": [
        "/path/to/mysql-mcp/dist/cli.js",
        "--transport",
        "stdio",
        "--tool-filter",
        "codemode"
      ],
      "env": {
        "MYSQL_HOST": "localhost",
        "MYSQL_PORT": "3306",
        "MYSQL_USER": "your_user",
        "MYSQL_PASSWORD": "your_password",
        "MYSQL_DATABASE": "your_database"
      }
    }
  }
}

This exposes just mysql_execute_code. The agent writes JavaScript against the typed mysql.* SDK — composing queries, chaining operations across all 24 tool groups, and returning exactly the data it needs — in one execution. This mirrors the Code Mode pattern pioneered by Cloudflare for their entire API: fixed token cost regardless of how many capabilities exist.

[!TIP] Maximize Token Savings: Instruct your AI agent to prefer Code Mode over individual tool calls:

"When using mysql-mcp, prefer mysql_execute_code (Code Mode) for multi-step database operations to minimize token usage."

For maximum savings, use --tool-filter codemode to run with Code Mode as your only tool. See the Code Mode wiki for full API documentation.

[!NOTE] AntiGravity Users: Server instructions are automatically sent to MCP clients during initialization. However, AntiGravity does not currently support MCP server instructions. For optimal Code Mode usage in AntiGravity, manually provide the contents of src/constants/ServerInstructions.ts to the agent in your prompt or user rules.

⚡ MCP Client Configuration

HTTP/SSE Server Usage (Advanced)

When to use HTTP mode: Use HTTP mode when deploying mysql-mcp as a standalone server that multiple clients can connect to remotely. For local development with Claude Desktop or Cursor IDE, use the default stdio mode shown below instead.

Use cases for HTTP mode:

• Running the server in a Docker container accessible over a network
• Deploying to cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, Azure)
• Enabling OAuth 2.1 authentication for enterprise security
• Allowing multiple AI clients to share one database connection

OAuth 2.1 Authentication

For enterprise deployments, mysql-mcp supports OAuth 2.1 authentication with Keycloak or any RFC-compliant provider.

Quick Setup

1. Start with OAuth disabled (default)

mysql-mcp --mysql mysql://root:pass@localhost/db

2. Enable OAuth with an identity provider

mysql-mcp --mysql mysql://root:pass@localhost/db \
          --oauth-enabled \
          --oauth-issuer http://localhost:8080/realms/mysql-mcp \
          --oauth-audience mysql-mcp

Start the HTTP server:

Local installation:

node dist/cli.js --transport http --port 3000 --server-host 0.0.0.0 --mysql mysql://user:password@localhost:3306/database

Docker (expose port 3000):

docker run -p 3000:3000 writenotenow/mysql-mcp \
  --transport http \
  --port 3000 \
  --server-host 0.0.0.0 \
  --mysql mysql://user:password@host.docker.internal:3306/database

Available endpoints:

• GET /sse - Establish MCP connection via Server-Sent Events
• POST /messages - Send JSON-RPC messages to the server
• GET /health - Health check endpoint
• GET /.well-known/oauth-protected-resource - OAuth 2.1 metadata (when OAuth enabled)

💡 Tip: Most users should skip this section and use the stdio configuration below for local AI IDE integration.

Cursor IDE / Claude Desktop

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "mysql-mcp": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": [
        "C:/path/to/mysql-mcp/dist/cli.js",
        "--transport",
        "stdio",
        "--mysql",
        "mysql://user:password@localhost:3306/database"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Using Environment Variables (Recommended)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "mysql-mcp": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["C:/path/to/mysql-mcp/dist/cli.js", "--transport", "stdio"],
      "env": {
        "MYSQL_HOST": "localhost",
        "MYSQL_PORT": "3306",
        "MYSQL_USER": "your_user",
        "MYSQL_PASSWORD": "your_password",
        "MYSQL_DATABASE": "your_database",
        "MYSQL_XPORT": "33060"
      }
    }
  }
}

> **Note:** `MYSQL_XPORT` (X Protocol port) defaults to `33060` if omitted. Only needed for `mysqlsh_import_json` and `docstore` tools. Set to your MySQL Router X Protocol port (e.g., `6448`) when using InnoDB Cluster.

📖 See the Configuration Wiki for more configuration options.

🔗 Database Connection Scenarios

MySQL on Host Machine

If MySQL is installed directly on your computer (via installer, Homebrew, etc.):

"--mysql", "mysql://user:password@host.docker.internal:3306/database"

MySQL in Another Docker Container

Add both containers to the same Docker network, then use the container name:

Create a network and run MySQL:

docker network create mynet
docker run -d --name mysql-db --network mynet -e MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD=pass mysql:8

Run MCP server on the same network:

docker run -i --rm --network mynet writenotenow/mysql-mcp:latest \
  --transport stdio --mysql mysql://root:pass@mysql-db:3306/mysql

Remote/Cloud MySQL (RDS, Cloud SQL, etc.)

Use the remote hostname directly:

"--mysql", "mysql://user:password@your-instance.region.rds.amazonaws.com:3306/database"

Tip: For remote connections, ensure your MySQL server allows connections from Docker's IP range and that firewalls/security groups permit port 3306.

🛠️ Tool Filtering

[!IMPORTANT] AI IDEs like Cursor have tool limits (typically 40-50 tools). With 192 tools available, you MUST use tool filtering to stay within your IDE's limits. We recommend starter (39 tools) as a starting point. Code Mode is included in all presets by default for 70-90% token savings on multi-step operations.

What Can You Filter?

The --tool-filter argument accepts shortcuts, groups, or tool names — mix and match freely:

Shortcuts (Predefined Bundles)

Tool Groups (25 Available)

Quick Start: Recommended IDE Configuration

Add one of these configurations to your IDE's MCP settings file (e.g., cline_mcp_settings.json, .cursorrules, or equivalent):

Option 1: Starter (39 Essential Tools)

Best for: General MySQL database work - CRUD operations, schema management, and monitoring.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "mysql-mcp": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": [
        "/path/to/mysql-mcp/dist/cli.js",
        "--transport",
        "stdio",
        "--tool-filter",
        "starter"
      ],
      "env": {
        "MYSQL_HOST": "localhost",
        "MYSQL_PORT": "3306",
        "MYSQL_USER": "your_username",
        "MYSQL_PASSWORD": "your_password",
        "MYSQL_DATABASE": "your_database"
      }
    }
  }
}

Option 2: Cluster (11 Tools for InnoDB Cluster Monitoring)

Best for: Monitoring InnoDB Cluster, Group Replication status, and cluster topology.

⚠️ Prerequisites:

• InnoDB Cluster must be configured and running with Group Replication enabled
• Connect to a cluster node directly (e.g., localhost:3307) — NOT a standalone MySQL instance
• Use cluster_admin or root user with appropriate privileges
• See MySQL Ecosystem Setup Guide for cluster setup instructions

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "mysql-mcp-cluster": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": [
        "/path/to/mysql-mcp/dist/cli.js",
        "--transport",
        "stdio",
        "--tool-filter",
        "cluster"
      ],
      "env": {
        "MYSQL_HOST": "localhost",
        "MYSQL_PORT": "3307",
        "MYSQL_USER": "cluster_admin",
        "MYSQL_PASSWORD": "cluster_password",
        "MYSQL_DATABASE": "mysql"
      }
    }
  }
}

Option 3: Ecosystem (41 Tools for InnoDB Cluster Deployments)

Best for: MySQL Router, ProxySQL, MySQL Shell, and InnoDB Cluster deployments.

⚠️ Prerequisites:

• InnoDB Cluster with MySQL Router requires the cluster to be running for Router REST API authentication (uses metadata_cache backend)
• Router REST API uses HTTPS with self-signed certificates by default — set MYSQL_ROUTER_INSECURE=true to bypass certificate verification
• X Protocol: InnoDB Cluster includes the MySQL X Plugin by default. Set MYSQL_XPORT to the Router's X Protocol port (e.g., 6448) for mysqlsh_import_json and docstore tools
• See MySQL Ecosystem Setup Guide for detailed instructions

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "mysql-mcp-ecosystem": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": [
        "/path/to/mysql-mcp/dist/cli.js",
        "--transport",
        "stdio",
        "--tool-filter",
        "ecosystem"
      ],
      "env": {
        "MYSQL_HOST": "localhost",
        "MYSQL_PORT": "3307",
        "MYSQL_XPORT": "6448",
        "MYSQL_USER": "cluster_admin",
        "MYSQL_PASSWORD": "cluster_password",
        "MYSQL_DATABASE": "testdb",
        "MYSQL_ROUTER_URL": "https://localhost:8443",
        "MYSQL_ROUTER_USER": "rest_api",
        "MYSQL_ROUTER_PASSWORD": "router_password",
        "MYSQL_ROUTER_INSECURE": "true",
        "PROXYSQL_HOST": "localhost",
        "PROXYSQL_PORT": "6032",
        "PROXYSQL_USER": "radmin",
        "PROXYSQL_PASSWORD": "radmin",
        "MYSQLSH_PATH": "/usr/local/bin/mysqlsh"
      }
    }
  }
}

Customization Notes:

• Replace /path/to/mysql-mcp/ with your actual installation path
• Update credentials with your actual values
• For Windows: Use forward slashes (e.g., C:/mysql-mcp/dist/cli.js) or escape backslashes
• For Windows MySQL Shell: "MYSQLSH_PATH": "C:\\Program Files\\MySQL\\MySQL Shell 9.5\\bin\\mysqlsh.exe"
• Router Authentication: Router REST API authenticates against the InnoDB Cluster metadata. The cluster must be running for authentication to work.
• Cluster Resource: The mysql://cluster resource is only available when connected to an InnoDB Cluster node

Legacy Syntax (still supported): If you start with a negative filter (e.g., -ecosystem), it assumes you want to start with all tools enabled and then subtract.

Syntax Reference

📖 See the Tool Filtering Wiki for advanced examples.

💡 Usage Instructions

[!NOTE] Usage instructions are automatically provided to AI agents via the MCP protocol during server initialization.

For debugging or manual reference, see the source: src/constants/ServerInstructions.ts

🤖 AI-Powered Prompts

This server includes 19 intelligent prompts for guided workflows:

📊 Resources

This server exposes 18 resources for database observability:

🔧 Advanced Configuration

For specialized setups, see these Wiki pages:

⚡ Performance Tuning

Schema metadata is cached to reduce repeated queries during tool/resource invocations.

Tip: Lower METADATA_CACHE_TTL_MS for development (e.g., 5000), or increase it for production with stable schemas (e.g., 300000 = 5 min).

Built-in payload optimization: Many tools support optional summary: true for condensed responses and limit parameters to cap result sizes. These are particularly useful for cluster status, monitoring, and sys schema tools where full responses can be large. See ServerInstructions.ts for per-tool details.

CLI Options

Scopes

📖 See the OAuth Wiki for Keycloak setup and detailed configuration.

Development

MCP Inspector

Use MCP Inspector to visually test and debug mysql-mcp:

Build the server first:

npm run build

Launch Inspector with mysql-mcp:

npx @modelcontextprotocol/inspector node dist/cli.js \
  --transport stdio \
  --mysql mysql://user:password@localhost:3306/database

Open http://localhost:6274 to browse all 192 tools, 18 resources, and 19 prompts interactively.

CLI mode for scripting:

List all tools:

npx @modelcontextprotocol/inspector --cli node dist/cli.js \
  --transport stdio --mysql mysql://... \
  --method tools/list

Call a specific tool:

npx @modelcontextprotocol/inspector --cli node dist/cli.js \
  --transport stdio --mysql mysql://... \
  --method tools/call --tool-name mysql_list_tables

📖 See the MCP Inspector Wiki for detailed usage.

Unit Testing

The project maintains high test coverage (~90%) using Vitest.

npm test

Run coverage report:

npm run test:coverage

Test Infrastructure:

• Centralized mock factories in src/__tests__/mocks/
• All 111 test files use shared mocks for consistency
• Tests run without database connection (fully mocked)
• ~28 second total runtime

Test Coverage:

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please read our Contributing Guidelines before submitting a pull request.

Security

For security concerns, please see our Security Policy.

⚠️ Never commit credentials - Store secrets in .env (gitignored)

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

Code of Conduct

Please read our Code of Conduct before participating in this project.