In n8n, add a MySQL node and create new credentials. You’ll enter the host, port (usually 3306), database name, and a MySQL username and password. If your database isn’t publicly reachable, use a VPN, SSH tunnel, or run n8n close to the database (same VPC or network). Then test the connection, run a simple SELECT, and plug it into a workflow trigger like Schedule or Webhook.

A lot, honestly. You can sync new orders to Google Sheets, send Slack alerts when a VIP customer record changes, or email your team when a daily KPI query crosses a threshold. Many teams also enrich rows using OpenAI (categorize tickets, clean text fields) and write the results back to MySQL. You can schedule nightly ETL jobs, keep CRM fields updated, and create audit logs without manual exports.

Yes—you’ll need access to a MySQL database plus credentials with permission to read and, if needed, write data.

The biggest one is connectivity. If MySQL is behind a firewall, your workflow can’t reach it until you allow network access or run n8n in the same environment. Permissions matter too: a read-only user can’t UPDATE or INSERT, so some workflows will fail until you adjust roles. Also watch for long-running queries; they can time out and block other steps. Frankly, a quick index review often makes automations feel instantly more reliable.