What it does

Connects to MySQL: list tables, describe columns, run queries. The description advertises write support, which is the part to disable. Read-only is where the value is — an agent that can see the schema answers most questions about a database.

Install

Terminal

npx -y @benborla29/mcp-server-mysql

Client configuration

Paste this into your MCP client config (Claude Desktop, Cursor, or any client that reads mcpServers), then restart the client.

mcp.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "mysql": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@benborla29/mcp-server-mysql"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Use it for

Schema exploration and read-only querying on MySQL

Skip it if

Migrations; DDL from an agent is not a migration strategy

When to use it

Reach for this when the task needs database inside the agent loop. Skip it if a plain shell command or a one-off script is enough — every server you add costs context and adds a failure mode.

Other TypeScript servers

Filesystem — Gives an agent scoped read, write, and search access to directories you explicitly allow
Memory — A persistent knowledge graph stored in a local JSON file, exposed through entities, relations, and observations
Sequential Thinking — Gives the model a scratchpad for structured, revisable reasoning: numbered thoughts that can branch, revise, and conclude

MySQL MCP