Introduction

What is MCP Go MySQL?

MCP Go MySQL is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server written in Go that gives Claude Desktop structured access to MySQL and MariaDB databases.

It exposes 10 tools covering read queries, writes, schema inspection, execution plan analysis, and server information, with input validation and audit logging built in.

::: note[MariaDB Compatibility] MCP Go MySQL supports both MySQL 8.0+ and MariaDB 11.8 LTS. The server detects the database type at connection time and adjusts its behavior accordingly. :::

How Does It Work?

The MCP (Model Context Protocol) enables Claude Desktop to communicate with external tools. Here’s how the flow works:

flowchart LR
    subgraph Claude["Claude Desktop"]
        A[User Request]
        B[Claude AI]
    end

    subgraph MCP["MCP Go MySQL Server"]
        C[Security Validation]
        D[Query Execution]
        E[Result Formatting]
    end

    subgraph DB["Database"]
        F[(MySQL / MariaDB)]
    end

    A -->|"Natural Language"| B
    B -->|"MCP Protocol"| C
    C -->|"SQL Query"| D
    D -->|"Secure Connection"| F
    F -->|"Results"| E
    E -->|"Formatted Response"| B
    B -->|"Human-readable"| A

Flow Explanation

1. User asks in natural language: “Show me the last 10 orders”
2. Claude interprets the request and selects the appropriate tool (query)
3. MCP Server validates the statement: leading verb is on the whitelist, no stacked statements, no INTO OUTFILE clause
4. Query executes against MySQL/MariaDB with timeout protection
5. Results are formatted and returned to Claude
6. Claude presents the data in a readable format

Glossary

New to these terms? Here’s a quick reference:

Term	Description
MCP	Model Context Protocol — A standard that lets AI assistants like Claude interact with external tools and services.
JSON-RPC	A remote procedure call protocol using JSON for communication between client and server.
stdio	Standard input/output — the communication method between Claude Desktop and the MCP server.
Verb classifier	The validation layer that allows only certain leading SQL verbs (SELECT, INSERT, etc.) and rejects everything else, including privilege management and filesystem access.
Row-count gate	After a write executes, the MCP checks how many rows were affected. Above MAX_SAFE_ROWS (default 100), the operation is rolled back unless confirm_key was supplied.

Key Features

Feature	Description
10 Database Tools	Read queries, writes, schema inspection, execution plans, server info
Verb classifier	Whitelist of allowed SQL verbs; privilege management and filesystem access always rejected
Row-count gate	Writes affecting more than MAX_SAFE_ROWS rows require confirm_key
Stacked-statement detection	SELECT 1; DROP DATABASE foo — rejected
Timeout management	Configurable per-operation timeouts
Audit-ready logs	Structured logs of all operations with timing and row counts

Database Compatibility

Database	Version	Status
MySQL	8.0+	✅ Fully Supported
MariaDB	11.8 LTS	✅ Fully Supported
MariaDB	10.x	✅ Compatible

Note

The server uses mysql driver which is compatible with both MySQL and MariaDB. Connection parameters are identical for both databases.

Use Cases

Data Analysis

Query and explore database content through natural language requests to Claude. The server translates intents into SQL and returns structured results.

Database Management

Inspect tables, indexes, and views. Understand schema structure and column definitions without writing SQL manually.

Query Optimization

Use the explain tool to examine how MySQL or MariaDB processes a query, including index usage, join type, and estimated row counts.

Reporting

Run aggregations, counts, and filtered queries. Sample tables to understand data shape before writing more complex statements.

Project Status

Aspect	Status
Version	v3.0.0
Known vulnerabilities	0
Go version	1.26.2
License	MIT

Next Steps

• Configuration Guide — Set up MCP Go MySQL in Claude Desktop
• Available Tools — Reference for all 10 database tools
• Security — The two-layer security model