Connect MySQL to Contextflo

Connect your MySQL database to Contextflo with a dedicated read-only user. Works with any hosted MySQL: AWS RDS, Google Cloud SQL, Azure Database for MySQL, PlanetScale, or self-hosted.

Prerequisites

• Admin access to your MySQL database
• The host, port, and database name you want to connect
• Network access from Contextflo to your database (add Contextflo's IPs to your allowlist if needed)

Step 1: Create a read-only user

Run this as an admin in your MySQL client. Update the password and database name before running.

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• Replace your_database with the database you want to expose. GRANT SELECT is read-only, so Contextflo can never modify your data.
• Grant additional databases with more GRANT SELECT ON another_database.* lines.
• The '%' host allows connections from any address. Scope it to Contextflo's IP range if you prefer.

Step 2: Point at a read replica (recommended)

If you have a read replica, connect Contextflo to it rather than your primary, so an exploratory query over a large table can't load the database serving your app.

Connection Details for Contextflo

In Contextflo, add a MySQL connection under Data Sources and provide:

• Connection Name: A friendly name (e.g., "Production MySQL")
• Host: Your database host
• Port: 3306 (default)
• Database: Your database name
• Username: contextflo_readonly
• Password: The password you set in the script
• SSL: Enable if your provider requires it

You can also paste a full connection string (mysql://user:pass@host:3306) instead of the individual fields.

Click Test Connection, then save. Contextflo fetches your schema so you can pick which tables to sync.

Verify Permissions

Confirm the grants and test a read:

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Security Notes

• Read-only access: This setup only grants SELECT permissions. Contextflo cannot modify or delete your data.
• Encrypted storage: Your credentials are encrypted at rest.
• Strong password: Use a long, randomly generated password.

Troubleshooting

Connection timeout

• Check that your firewall or security group allows connections from Contextflo's IPs
• Verify the host and port
• Confirm MySQL accepts remote connections (bind-address allows external hosts)

Authentication failed

• Double-check the username and password
• Confirm the user's host pattern ('%' or a specific IP) covers Contextflo's connection
• Enable SSL if your provider requires it

Tables not showing

• Confirm the GRANT SELECT covers the right database
• Verify you connected to the correct database name

Next Steps

• Go back to Connecting Data Sources