Get Started with Windsurf and TiDB MCP Server

This guide shows how to configure the TiDB MCP Server in Windsurf.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have the following:

• Windsurf: Download and install Windsurf from windsurf.com.
• Python (>=3.10) and uv: Ensure Python (3.10 or later) and uv are installed. Follow the installation guide to install uv.
• A TiDB Cloud Starter cluster: You can create a free TiDB cluster on TiDB Cloud.

Connect to TiDB Cloud Starter (recommended)

Use the TiDB Cloud console to gather the connection details, then update Windsurf's MCP configuration.

1. Go to the Clusters page, select your cluster, and then click Use with AI Tools in the upper-right corner.

2. In the Access your_cluster_name with AI tools dialog, select the Branch and Database that Windsurf should access.

3. Review the Prerequisites list in the dialog and install any missing dependencies.

4. Configure the root password:

   • If you have not set a password yet, click Generate Password and store it in a secure location (it is shown only once).
   • If a password already exists, enter it in the Enter the password for easy setup field.
   • If you forget the password, click Reset password in the Prerequisites section to generate a new one.

5. Select the Windsurf tab and copy the provided connection values.

6. Update your mcp_config.json file using the copied values. For more information, see the Windsurf MCP documentation.

Manual configuration (any TiDB cluster)

If you prefer manual setup, update your mcp_config.json file as follows and replace the placeholders with your connection parameters:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "TiDB": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": ["--from", "pytidb[mcp]", "tidb-mcp-server"],
      "env": {
        "TIDB_HOST": "<YOUR_TIDB_HOST>",
        "TIDB_PORT": "<YOUR_TIDB_PORT>",
        "TIDB_USERNAME": "<YOUR_TIDB_USERNAME>",
        "TIDB_PASSWORD": "<YOUR_TIDB_PASSWORD>",
        "TIDB_DATABASE": "<YOUR_TIDB_DATABASE>"
      }
    }
  }
}

See also

• TiDB MCP Server