MySQL MCP Server

A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that provides MySQL database access through standardized tools.

Features

• Query Execution: Execute arbitrary SQL queries
• Schema Inspection: View table schemas
• Table Listing: List all tables in the database
• Query Analysis: Analyze query execution plans with optimization suggestions

Requirements

• Go 1.21+ (developed with Go 1.23.6)
• MySQL 5.7+ or MySQL 8.0+
• Make (for build commands)

Installation

Option 1: Download Pre-built Binary (Recommended)

Download the latest release for your platform:

Linux (amd64):

curl -L https://github.com/koh/mysql-mcp-server/releases/latest/download/mysql-mcp-server-linux-amd64.tar.gz | tar xz
chmod +x mysql-mcp-server
sudo mv mysql-mcp-server /usr/local/bin/

macOS (Apple Silicon):

curl -L https://github.com/koh/mysql-mcp-server/releases/latest/download/mysql-mcp-server-darwin-arm64.tar.gz | tar xz
chmod +x mysql-mcp-server
mv mysql-mcp-server /usr/local/bin/

macOS (Intel):

curl -L https://github.com/koh/mysql-mcp-server/releases/latest/download/mysql-mcp-server-darwin-amd64.tar.gz | tar xz
chmod +x mysql-mcp-server
mv mysql-mcp-server /usr/local/bin/

Windows:

# Download from https://github.com/koh/mysql-mcp-server/releases/latest
# Extract mysql-mcp-server-windows-amd64.zip
# Add to PATH or move mysql-mcp-server.exe to a directory in PATH

Option 2: Build from Source

1. Clone the repository:

git clone https://github.com/koh/mysql-mcp-server.git
cd mysql-mcp-server

2. Install dependencies and build:

make build
# Or use make setup for full development setup

Verify Installation

After installation, verify the server is accessible:

mysql-mcp-server --version

Configuration

The server uses environment variables for MySQL connection configuration:

• `MYSQL_HOST`: MySQL server host (default: localhost)
• `MYSQL_PORT`: MySQL server port (default: 3306)
• `MYSQL_USER`: MySQL username
• `MYSQL_PASSWORD`: MySQL password
• `MYSQL_DATABASE`: Database name to connect to

You can copy `.env.example` to `.env` and modify it with your credentials:

cp .env.example .env

Usage

With Claude Desktop

Add the server to your Claude Desktop configuration file:

macOS: `~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json`

Windows: `%APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json`

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "mysql": {
      "command": "mysql-mcp-server",
      "env": {
        "MYSQL_HOST": "localhost",
        "MYSQL_PORT": "3306",
        "MYSQL_USER": "your_user",
        "MYSQL_PASSWORD": "your_password",
        "MYSQL_DATABASE": "your_database"
      }
    }
  }
}

Direct Usage

Run the server directly:

export MYSQL_HOST=localhost
export MYSQL_PORT=3306
export MYSQL_USER=root
export MYSQL_PASSWORD=password
export MYSQL_DATABASE=testdb
./mysql-mcp-server

Available Tools

query

Execute SELECT queries to retrieve data from MySQL database. This tool is restricted to SELECT statements only for safety. Use the `execute` tool for data modification operations.

Parameters:

• `query` (required): SELECT statement only
• `format` (optional): Output format - `json`, `table`, `csv`, or `markdown` (default: `table`)

Example:

{
  "name": "query",
  "arguments": {
    "query": "SELECT * FROM users WHERE status = 'active' LIMIT 10",
    "format": "csv"
  }
}

execute

Execute INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE queries with safety checks. This tool implements a two-step execution process for safety:

1. First run with `dry_run=true` to preview affected rows

2. Then run with `dry_run=false` and the confirmation token to execute

Parameters:

• `sql` (required): INSERT, UPDATE, or DELETE statement
• `dry_run` (optional): If true, shows affected rows without executing (default: true)
• `confirm_token` (optional): Token from dry-run response, required when dry_run=false

Example - Step 1 (Dry Run):

{
  "name": "execute",
  "arguments": {
    "sql": "UPDATE users SET status = 'inactive' WHERE last_login  25",
    "analyze": true
  }
}

Note: EXPLAIN ANALYZE actually executes the query to gather real execution statistics, including actual row counts and timing information. Use with caution on queries that modify data or take a long time to execute.

Integration with AI Tools

VSCode Integration

Option 1: Using MCP Client Extensions

Configure in VSCode settings.json:

{
  "mcp.servers": {
    "mysql": {
      "command": "/path/to/mysql-mcp-server",
      "env": {
        "MYSQL_HOST": "localhost",
        "MYSQL_USER": "root",
        "MYSQL_PASSWORD": "password",
        "MYSQL_DATABASE": "mydb"
      }
    }
  }
}

Option 2: Custom VSCode Extension

Create a custom extension that spawns the MCP server. See INTEGRATION.md for implementation details.

Cursor Integration

Cursor supports MCP servers through its configuration:

1. Open Cursor Settings

2. Navigate to "AI" → "Model Context Protocol"

3. Add server configuration:

{
  "mysql": {
    "command": "/path/to/mysql-mcp-server",
    "env": {
      "MYSQL_HOST": "localhost",
      "MYSQL_USER": "root",
      "MYSQL_PASSWORD": "password",
      "MYSQL_DATABASE": "mydb"
    }
  }
}

GitHub Copilot Integration

GitHub Copilot doesn't directly support MCP servers, but you can create a bridge through VSCode extensions. See INTEGRATION.md for detailed implementation.

Generic Integration Pattern

For any tool that supports subprocess communication:

const { spawn } = require('child_process');

class MCPClient {
    constructor(serverPath, env) {
        this.server = spawn(serverPath, [], { env });
        // ... handle communication
    }

    async callTool(name, arguments) {
        return this.request('tools/call', { name, arguments });
    }
}

// Usage
const client = new MCPClient('/path/to/mysql-mcp-server', {
    MYSQL_HOST: 'localhost',
    MYSQL_USER: 'root',
    MYSQL_PASSWORD: 'password',
    MYSQL_DATABASE: 'mydb'
});

For complete integration examples and troubleshooting, see INTEGRATION.md.

Testing

For detailed testing instructions, see TESTING.md.

Quick start:

# Setup and run interactive test client
make setup
make test-client

Development

Run tests:

make test

Run the server:

make run

Security Considerations

• The `query` tool is restricted to SELECT statements only to prevent accidental data modification
• The `execute` tool requires a two-step confirmation process for all data modification operations
• Never expose this server to untrusted clients
• Use appropriate MySQL user permissions
• Consider using read-only database users when possible
• The dry-run feature allows you to preview the impact of UPDATE/DELETE operations before execution
• Confirmation tokens expire after 5 minutes for security
• Keep your database credentials secure

License

MIT