Connect to MySQL

Securely connect your Hex workspace to your MySQL database.

info

• Users need the Admin workspace role to create a shared workspace data connection.
• Users need Can Edit or higher project permissions to create project data connections.

MySQL is one of the most popular open-source relational databases, designed primarily for transactional workloads powering web applications, content management systems, and e-commerce platforms. It's known for being fast, reliable, and straightforward to operate, with a massive ecosystem of tools and community support.

MySQL works best for accessing operational data in real-time or lightweight analytical needs. For Hex users with more intensive analytics workflows (e.g. complex queries, large aggregations), MySQL may yield slower performance.

How to get set up

1. In Hex, go to Settings → Data sources.
2. Click + Connection, select MySQL, and fill out the fields below.

Basic settings

1. Name and Description - Set a display name and optional description to help identify your data connection.
2. Host - The address of your MySQL database.
3. Port - The port used for secure native connections to your MySQL database.
4. Database - The name of the MySQL database you're connecting.
5. Aurora cluster (optional) - Enable if connecting to an Aurora MySQL database cluster.
6. Authentication type - Choose Password or Certificate and fill out the required fields.

Additional settings

The data connection form includes several optional sections:

• Advanced - Optional settings like custom SQL formatting, including schema data for AI, and connecting via SSH.
• Access - Optional data connection permissions.
• Schema browsing - Recommended settings like scheduling schema browser refreshes and schema filtering, both of which are recommended for performance and AI agent accuracy.

tip

If you use a firewall to restrict database access, you'll need to add Hex's IP addresses to your allowlist.