MySQL MCP Server

What is MySQL MCP Server about?

Provides a Model Context Protocol implementation that mediates communication between AI applications (such as Claude Desktop or VS Code extensions) and MySQL databases, offering a controlled interface for database exploration and analysis.

How to use MySQL MCP Server?

1. Install the package:

   pip install mysql-mcp-server
   

2. Configure the required environment variables:

   MYSQL_HOST=localhost
   MYSQL_PORT=3306   # optional, defaults to 3306
   MYSQL_USER=your_username
   MYSQL_PASSWORD=your_password
   MYSQL_DATABASE=your_database
   

3. Run the server through an MCP client configuration (e.g., Claude Desktop claude_desktop_config.json or VS Code mcp.json). The client launches the server via the command defined in the MCP configuration.

Key features of MySQL MCP Server

• List available MySQL tables as resources
• Read table contents with pagination support
• Execute arbitrary SQL queries with error handling
• Secure credential handling through environment variables
• Comprehensive logging for audit and debugging
• Simple installation via pip or Smithery integration

Use cases of MySQL MCP Server

• AI‑assisted data analysis: Allow large language models to explore a database without exposing raw credentials.
• Automated report generation: Generate summaries or visualizations directly from query results.
• Chat‑based database assistants: Enable conversational interfaces that can query and retrieve data safely.
• Development sandbox: Provide AI tools with read‑only or limited‑permission access for code generation or testing.

FAQ from the MySQL MCP Server

Q: Can I run the server as a standalone Python script? A: The server is designed to be launched by an MCP client, not directly as a standalone program.

Q: Do I need to install Node.js or npm? A: No. The core server runs on Python. Node‑related commands are only for optional Smithery or client‑side integrations.

Q: How do I limit the queries that can be executed? A: Implement query whitelisting or use a MySQL user with minimal privileges as recommended in the security guidelines.

Q: Where can I find more security recommendations? A: See the SECURITY.md file in the repository for detailed best‑practice instructions.

Q: Which AI platforms are supported? A: The server works with any MCP‑compatible client, including Claude Desktop, VS Code extensions, and custom MCP inspectors.

MySQL MCP Server

A Model Context Protocol (MCP) implementation that enables secure interaction with MySQL databases. This server component facilitates communication between AI applications (hosts/clients) and MySQL databases, making database exploration and analysis safer and more structured through a controlled interface.

Note: MySQL MCP Server is not designed to be used as a standalone server, but rather as a communication protocol implementation between AI applications and MySQL databases.

Features

• List available MySQL tables as resources
• Read table contents
• Execute SQL queries with proper error handling
• Secure database access through environment variables
• Comprehensive logging

Installation

Manual Installation

pip install mysql-mcp-server

Installing via Smithery

To install MySQL MCP Server for Claude Desktop automatically via Smithery:

npx -y @smithery/cli install mysql-mcp-server --client claude

Configuration

Set the following environment variables:

MYSQL_HOST=localhost     # Database host
MYSQL_PORT=3306         # Optional: Database port (defaults to 3306 if not specified)
MYSQL_USER=your_username
MYSQL_PASSWORD=your_password
MYSQL_DATABASE=your_database

Usage

With Claude Desktop

Add this to your claude_desktop_config.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "mysql": {
      "command": "uv",
      "args": [
        "--directory",
        "path/to/mysql_mcp_server",
        "run",
        "mysql_mcp_server"
      ],
      "env": {
        "MYSQL_HOST": "localhost",
        "MYSQL_PORT": "3306",
        "MYSQL_USER": "your_username",
        "MYSQL_PASSWORD": "your_password",
        "MYSQL_DATABASE": "your_database"
      }
    }
  }
}

With Visual Studio Code

Add this to your mcp.json:

{
  "servers": {
      "mysql": {
            "type": "stdio",
            "command": "uvx",
            "args": [
                "--from",
                "mysql-mcp-server",
                "mysql_mcp_server"
            ],
      "env": {
        "MYSQL_HOST": "localhost",
        "MYSQL_PORT": "3306",
        "MYSQL_USER": "your_username",
        "MYSQL_PASSWORD": "your_password",
        "MYSQL_DATABASE": "your_database"
      }
    }
  }
}

Note: Will need to install uv for this to work

Debugging with MCP Inspector

While MySQL MCP Server isn't intended to be run standalone or directly from the command line with Python, you can use the MCP Inspector to debug it.

The MCP Inspector provides a convenient way to test and debug your MCP implementation:

# Install dependencies
pip install -r requirements.txt
# Use the MCP Inspector for debugging (do not run directly with Python)

The MySQL MCP Server is designed to be integrated with AI applications like Claude Desktop and should not be run directly as a standalone Python program.

Development

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/designcomputer/mysql_mcp_server.git
cd mysql_mcp_server
# Create virtual environment
python -m venv venv
source venv/bin/activate  # or `venv\Scripts\activate` on Windows
# Install development dependencies
pip install -r requirements-dev.txt
# Run tests
pytest

Security Considerations

• Never commit environment variables or credentials
• Use a database user with minimal required permissions
• Consider implementing query whitelisting for production use
• Monitor and log all database operations

Security Best Practices

This MCP implementation requires database access to function. For security:

1. Create a dedicated MySQL user with minimal permissions
2. Never use root credentials or administrative accounts
3. Restrict database access to only necessary operations
4. Enable logging for audit purposes
5. Regular security reviews of database access

See MySQL Security Configuration Guide for detailed instructions on:

• Creating a restricted MySQL user
• Setting appropriate permissions
• Monitoring database access
• Security best practices

⚠️ IMPORTANT: Always follow the principle of least privilege when configuring database access.

License

MIT License - see LICENSE file for details.

Contributing

1. Fork the repository
2. Create your feature branch (git checkout -b feature/amazing-feature)
3. Commit your changes (git commit -m 'Add some amazing feature')
4. Push to the branch (git push origin feature/amazing-feature)
5. Open a Pull Request