Connect to TiDB

April 22, 2026 ยท View on GitHub

TiDB is highly compatible with the MySQL protocol, so you can connect to it using most MySQL tools, drivers, and ORMs.

  • To execute SQL manually (for connectivity testing, debugging, or quick verification), start with MySQL CLI tools.

  • To connect using a visual interface, refer to the documents of the following popular GUI tools:

  • To build applications on TiDB, choose a driver or ORM based on your programming language and framework.

  • To connect to {{{ .starter }}} or {{{ .essential }}} instances from edge environments via HTTP, use the TiDB Cloud Serverless Driver. Note that the serverless driver is in beta and only applicable to {{{ .starter }}} or {{{ .essential }}} instances.

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