What is an MCP? Why not just use a regular API?

MCP stands for Model Context Protocol. It’s a protocol developed by Anthropic specifically for AI assistants to access external tools. Compared to regular APIs, MCP offers a standardized tool description format, better AI integration, automated permission management, and built-in security.

Why choose stdio mode over HTTP API?

stdio mode offers enhanced security (no need to open network ports), simplicity (no network and authentication configuration), lightweight operation (direct process communication), and better isolation (each client has an independent process).

Can I connect to a remote MySQL database?

Yes! Simply specify the remote host address when connecting. For example:

Please connect to the remote database:

• Host: 192.168.1.100
• Port: 3306
• Username: remote_user
• Password: remote_password
• Database: remote_db

Are other databases supported?

Currently, only MySQL is supported, but the architecture is designed to be extensible. Future plans include support for PostgreSQL, SQLite, SQL Server, and Oracle.

How do I back up and restore the configuration?

bash

Backup configuration

cp ~/.vscode/mcp-settings.json ~/mcp-backup.json

Restore configuration

cp ~/mcp-backup.json ~/.vscode/mcp-settings.json

Can I perform write operations?

For security reasons, only read operations are supported by default. If write operations are required, you can modify src/database.ts to remove the security restrictions and rebuild the project. Caution: This increases the risk of data compromise, so proceed with care.

How do I monitor the MCP server status?

bash

Check process

ps aux | grep “mysql-mcp”

Check port (HTTP mode)

netstat -an | grep 3100

View logs

tail -f ~/.vscode/logs/mcp-mysql.log