
MySQL Database Explorer
Provides secure, read-only access to MySQL databases for exploring schemas and running SELECT queries. Includes built-in protection against SQL injection and resource abuse.
Provides secure, read-only access to MySQL databases for exploring schemas and executing SELECT queries with built-in safeguards against SQL injection, query timeouts, and row limits.
What it does
- List databases and tables
- Describe table schemas and structure
- Execute SELECT queries with safety validation
- Browse database metadata
- Run SHOW and EXPLAIN statements
- Query with automatic timeouts and row limits
Best for
About MySQL Database Explorer
MySQL Database Explorer is a community-built MCP server published by dpflucas that provides AI assistants with tools and capabilities via the Model Context Protocol. Explore MySQL databases securely with read-only access. Execute safeguarded sequel queries and review schemas easily, wi It is categorized under databases.
How to install
You can install MySQL Database Explorer in your AI client of choice. Use the install panel on this page to get one-click setup for Cursor, Claude Desktop, VS Code, and other MCP-compatible clients. This server runs locally on your machine via the stdio transport.
License
MySQL Database Explorer is released under the MIT license. This is a permissive open-source license, meaning you can freely use, modify, and distribute the software.
MySQL Database Access MCP Server
This MCP server provides read-only access to MySQL databases. It allows you to:
- List available databases
- List tables in a database
- Describe table schemas
- Execute read-only SQL queries
Security Features
- Read-only access: Only SELECT, SHOW, DESCRIBE, and EXPLAIN statements are allowed
- Query validation: Prevents SQL injection and blocks any data modification attempts
- Query timeout: Prevents long-running queries from consuming resources
- Row limit: Prevents excessive data return
Installation
1. Install using one of these methods:
Install from NPM
# Install globally
npm install -g mysql-mcp-server
# Or install locally in your project
npm install mysql-mcp-server
Build from Source
# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/dpflucas/mysql-mcp-server.git
cd mysql-mcp-server
# Install dependencies and build
npm install
npm run build
Install via Smithery
To install MySQL Database Access MCP Server for Claude AI automatically via Smithery:
npx -y @smithery/cli install @dpflucas/mysql-mcp-server --client claude
2. Configure environment variables
The server requires the following environment variables:
MYSQL_HOST: Database server hostnameMYSQL_PORT: Database server port (default: 3306)MYSQL_USER: Database usernameMYSQL_PASSWORD: Database password (optional, but recommended for secure connections)MYSQL_DATABASE: Default database name (optional)
3. Add to MCP settings
Add the following configuration to your MCP settings file:
If you installed via npm (Option 1):
{
"mcpServers": {
"mysql": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["mysql-mcp-server"],
"env": {
"MYSQL_HOST": "your-mysql-host",
"MYSQL_PORT": "3306",
"MYSQL_USER": "your-mysql-user",
"MYSQL_PASSWORD": "your-mysql-password",
"MYSQL_DATABASE": "your-default-database"
},
"disabled": false,
"autoApprove": []
}
}
}
If you built from source (Option 2):
{
"mcpServers": {
"mysql": {
"command": "node",
"args": ["/path/to/mysql-mcp-server/build/index.js"],
"env": {
"MYSQL_HOST": "your-mysql-host",
"MYSQL_PORT": "3306",
"MYSQL_USER": "your-mysql-user",
"MYSQL_PASSWORD": "your-mysql-password",
"MYSQL_DATABASE": "your-default-database"
},
"disabled": false,
"autoApprove": []
}
}
}
Available Tools
list_databases
Lists all accessible databases on the MySQL server.
Parameters: None
Example:
{
"server_name": "mysql",
"tool_name": "list_databases",
"arguments": {}
}
list_tables
Lists all tables in a specified database.
Parameters:
database(optional): Database name (uses default if not specified)
Example:
{
"server_name": "mysql",
"tool_name": "list_tables",
"arguments": {
"database": "my_database"
}
}
describe_table
Shows the schema for a specific table.
Parameters:
database(optional): Database name (uses default if not specified)table(required): Table name
Example:
{
"server_name": "mysql",
"tool_name": "describe_table",
"arguments": {
"database": "my_database",
"table": "my_table"
}
}
execute_query
Executes a read-only SQL query.
Parameters:
query(required): SQL query (only SELECT, SHOW, DESCRIBE, and EXPLAIN statements are allowed)database(optional): Database name (uses default if not specified)
Example:
{
"server_name": "mysql",
"tool_name": "execute_query",
"arguments": {
"database": "my_database",
"query": "SELECT * FROM my_table LIMIT 10"
}
}
Advanced Connection Pool Configuration
For more control over the MySQL connection pool behavior, you can configure additional parameters:
{
"mcpServers": {
"mysql": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["mysql-mcp-server"],
"env": {
"MYSQL_HOST": "your-mysql-host",
"MYSQL_PORT": "3306",
"MYSQL_USER": "your-mysql-user",
"MYSQL_PASSWORD": "your-mysql-password",
"MYSQL_DATABASE": "your-default-database",
"MYSQL_CONNECTION_LIMIT": "10",
"MYSQL_QUEUE_LIMIT": "0",
"MYSQL_CONNECT_TIMEOUT": "10000",
"MYSQL_IDLE_TIMEOUT": "60000",
"MYSQL_MAX_IDLE": "10"
},
"disabled": false,
"autoApprove": []
}
}
}
These advanced options allow you to:
MYSQL_CONNECTION_LIMIT: Control the maximum number of connections in the pool (default: 10)MYSQL_QUEUE_LIMIT: Set the maximum number of connection requests to queue (default: 0, unlimited)MYSQL_CONNECT_TIMEOUT: Adjust the connection timeout in milliseconds (default: 10000)MYSQL_IDLE_TIMEOUT: Configure how long a connection can be idle before being released (in milliseconds)MYSQL_MAX_IDLE: Set the maximum number of idle connections to keep in the pool
Testing
The server includes test scripts to verify functionality with your MySQL setup:
1. Setup Test Database
This script creates a test database, table, and sample data:
# Set your MySQL credentials as environment variables
export MYSQL_HOST=localhost
export MYSQL_PORT=3306
export MYSQL_USER=your_username
export MYSQL_PASSWORD=your_password
# Run the setup script
npm run test:setup
2. Test MCP Tools
This script tests each of the MCP tools against the test database:
# Set your MySQL credentials as environment variables
export MYSQL_HOST=localhost
export MYSQL_PORT=3306
export MYSQL_USER=your_username
export MYSQL_PASSWORD=your_password
export MYSQL_DATABASE=mcp_test_db
# Run the tools test script
npm run test:tools
3. Run All Tests
To run both setup and tool tests:
# Set your MySQL credentials as environment variables
export MYSQL_HOST=localhost
export MYSQL_PORT=3306
export MYSQL_USER=your_username
export MYSQL_PASSWORD=your_password
# Run all tests
npm test
Troubleshooting
If you encounter issues:
- Check the server logs for error messages
- Verify your MySQL credentials and connection details
- Ensure your MySQL user has appropriate permissions
- Check that your query is read-only and properly formatted
License
This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.
Alternatives
Related Skills
Browse all skillsDatabase operations including querying, schema exploration, and data analysis. Activates for tasks involving PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB, SQLite, MongoDB, Redis, Elasticsearch, or ClickHouse databases.
Azure MySQL Flexible Server SDK for .NET. Database management for MySQL Flexible Server deployments. Use for creating servers, databases, firewall rules, configurations, backups, and high availability. Triggers: "MySQL", "MySqlFlexibleServer", "MySQL Flexible Server", "Azure Database for MySQL", "MySQL database management", "MySQL firewall", "MySQL backup".
Search and deploy services from Railway's template marketplace. Use when user wants to add a service from a template, find templates for a specific use case, or deploy tools like Ghost, Strapi, n8n, Minio, Uptime Kuma, etc. For databases (Postgres, Redis, MySQL, MongoDB), prefer the railway-database skill.
SQL query optimization patterns including EXPLAIN plan analysis, index strategies, query rewriting, and N+1 query prevention. Use when optimizing slow database queries, analyzing query performance, designing indexes, or debugging database bottlenecks. Works with PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite, and other SQL databases. Typical improvements: 10x-1000x query speedup.
This skill automates database archival processes. It helps reduce primary database size by moving historical records to archive tables or cold storage solutions like S3, Azure Blob, or GCS. The plugin supports PostgreSQL and MySQL, implementing automated retention policies, compression, compliance tracking, and zero-downtime migration. Use this when the user mentions "database archival", "archive old database records", "retention policies", "cold storage", or "reduce database size." It is particularly useful for handling requests related to data lifecycle management and compliance requirements in database systems.
Conduct comprehensive, systematic literature reviews using multiple academic databases (PubMed, arXiv, bioRxiv, Semantic Scholar, etc.). This skill should be used when conducting systematic literature reviews, meta-analyses, research synthesis, or comprehensive literature searches across biomedical, scientific, and technical domains. Creates professionally formatted markdown documents and PDFs with verified citations in multiple citation styles (APA, Nature, Vancouver, etc.).