Featured demo
TiDB Cloud Zero MCP
MCP server that auto-provisions TiDB Cloud Zero on first query, keeps reusable SQL tool state, and exposes pure HTTPS SQL operations for AI agents without local driver setup.
- [*]AI ReadyVector + relational in one store.
- [=]Full MySQLJoins, transactions, and standard SQL.
- [~]Disposable30-day lifespan for demos and CI.
- [>>]ZeroProvision in milliseconds, no cold starts.
Popular Search Journeys
AI Agent Memory Database ↗
Store agent state, user preferences, tool outputs, and searchable memory in one disposable SQL backend.
Database for MCP Servers ↗
Provision a low-friction MySQL backend for MCP tools, protocol demos, and per-session state.
Serverless MySQL for RAG ↗
Use MySQL-compatible SQL with vector search and full-text search for retrieval-heavy prototypes.
Temporary Database Workflows ↗
Browse demos, tutorials, evaluation flows, and API-first sandboxes built around disposable databases.
CLI Quickstart
Provision a temporary MySQL-compatible database via API, then connect and run one SQL query using curl, jq, and mysql.
- 01
Step 1. Create an Instance
curl -s -X POST https://zero.tidbapi.com/v1beta1/instances \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -d '{"tag":"cli-quickstart"}' \ | tee tidb-zero.json - 02
Step 2. Load the Connection String into Your Shell
export TIDB_CONNECTION_STRING="$(jq -r '.instance.connectionString' tidb-zero.json)"
- 03
Step 3. Run a Test Query with mysql
mysql "$TIDB_CONNECTION_STRING" -e "SELECT 1 AS health_check, 2 AS example_value;"
If you want to paste multiline SQL instead:
mysql "$TIDB_CONNECTION_STRING" <<'SQL' SELECT 1 AS health_check, 2 AS example_value; SQL
You should see
+--------------+---------------+ | health_check | example_value | +--------------+---------------+ | 1 | 2 | +--------------+---------------+
What to check if something fails
- If step 2 prints nothing, check tidb-zero.json for .instance.connectionString.
- If step 3 says `mysql: command not found`, install `mysql-client` and reopen your shell.
API Reference
POST/v1beta1/instances
v1alpha1 is deprecated and will be removed on 2026-04-06. Please migrate to v1beta1.
Request body
{
"tag": "try-in-browser"
}Response (200 OK)
{
"instance": {
"id": "...",
"connection": {
"host": "...",
"port": 4000,
"username": "...",
"password": "..."
},
"connectionString": "mysql://...",
"claimInfo": {
"claimUrl": "https://tidbcloud.com/tidbs/claim/..."
},
"expiresAt": "..."
}
}Demo Areas
FAQ
[01] What is TiDB Cloud Zero?+
TiDB Cloud Zero gives AI agents and developers instant access to a real TiDB Cloud database with no signup, no setup, and no infrastructure work.
It is built for fast prototyping, demos, automation, AI agent memory, and "try now" experiences that can later be upgraded into a full TiDB Cloud account.
[02] Who is it for?+
TiDB Cloud Zero is for AI agents, developers, and teams that want a real SQL database in seconds.
It works especially well for prototypes, tutorials, demos, testing, product evaluation, MCP tooling, and serverless MySQL experiments.
[03] Do I need to sign up or add a credit card?+
No. You can start instantly without creating an account or adding payment details. If you want to keep the database, raise limits, or manage it long term, you can claim it later in TiDB Cloud.
[04] What usage is included?+
TiDB Cloud Zero includes TiDB Cloud Starter free quota plus a hard $1 spending limit per temporary database.
See TiDB Cloud Starter usage quota[05] How does it work at a high level?+
- Your app or agent requests a new TiDB Cloud Zero instance.
- Zero provisions a dedicated database session for you.
- You get connection details and a claim link.
- You connect over MySQL/TLS and start running SQL immediately.
- If you want to keep it, claim it before it expires.
[06] Can I use TiDB Cloud Zero for AI agent memory?+
Yes. TiDB Cloud Zero works well for agent memory prototypes because it can store structured SQL state, vector data, and searchable text in one MySQL-compatible database. That is useful when your agent needs more than embeddings alone, such as user profiles, tool outputs, or exact filters.
[07] Can TiDB Cloud Zero sit behind an MCP server?+
Yes. TiDB Cloud Zero is not itself an MCP server, but it works well as the database behind MCP tools and custom MCP server implementations. You can provision a disposable database over HTTPS, then connect with standard MySQL-compatible drivers.
[08] Is TiDB Cloud Zero useful for RAG or vector search demos?+
Yes. TiDB Cloud Zero is a practical fit for early RAG, retrieval, and semantic search experiments because it combines MySQL compatibility with vector search and full-text search. It lets you test search-heavy AI workflows before committing to a permanent architecture.
[09] Is this basically a temporary MySQL database API?+
Yes. At a high level, TiDB Cloud Zero is an API-first way to create a disposable MySQL-compatible database with no signup. That makes it useful for demos, tutorials, isolated test runs, and other short-lived SQL environments.
[10] Which API path should I use?+
Use POST https://zero.tidbapi.com/v1beta1/instances.
v1alpha1 is deprecated and will be removed on 2026-04-06. Please migrate to v1beta1.
[11] How long does a database last (TTL)?+
Each TiDB Cloud Zero database lasts up to 30 days unless you claim it first.
When it expires, the credentials are revoked, the claim link stops working, and the database is securely removed.
[12] What is "Claim"?+
Claim lets you turn a temporary TiDB Cloud Zero database into a persistent TiDB Cloud database.
Open the claim link, sign up or log in, and the database moves under your account so you can keep using it beyond the temporary session.