This page explains how to connect an already running ShardingSphere-MCP HTTP Server in ChatGPT Developer Mode. ShardingSphere-MCP is the Apache ShardingSphere MCP Server that exposes database metadata access, controlled SQL queries, and database governance capabilities to MCP-capable AI clients and platforms.
Applicable Scenarios
Use this page when you want to connect a remote ShardingSphere-MCP server directly in the ChatGPT web product without writing backend integration code.
Use this integration when ChatGPT conversations should select a remote MCP app and directly call ShardingSphere-MCP tools for metadata queries, controlled queries, rule planning, or preflight validation.
After integration, ChatGPT can inspect logic databases, inspect table structures, or call database_gateway_validate_proxy_connectivity for preflight validation against configured runtime databases.
Prerequisites
Start the HTTP MCP Server by following Quick Start.
Expose only a secured remote endpoint that ChatGPT can reach. The built-in ShardingSphere-MCP HTTP Server does not provide authentication or authorization.
For remote platform access, place ShardingSphere-MCP behind a trusted gateway or reverse proxy that provides TLS termination, authentication,
authorization policy, network access control, and audit logs.
See Deployment and Configuration for the security boundary.
The secured remote endpoint supports SSE or streaming HTTP.
Use a ChatGPT web account that is eligible for Developer Mode. The current beta is available on the web to Pro, Plus, Business, Enterprise, and Education accounts.
Decide whether the secured remote endpoint uses OAuth, No Authentication, or Mixed Authentication.
Use No Authentication only for controlled private testing or when an outer network boundary already restricts access.
Integration Steps
Configure the integration
In ChatGPT Web, go to Settings -> Apps -> Advanced settings -> Developer mode and enable Developer Mode.
Open the app settings page and use Create app to create a new app for ShardingSphere-MCP.
In the app configuration, enter the secured remote ShardingSphere-MCP address and select the authentication mode that matches the endpoint:
OAuth
No Authentication for controlled private testing or an already restricted endpoint only
Mixed Authentication
Save the app and refresh the tool list on the app details page so ChatGPT can pull the latest tools and descriptions from ShardingSphere-MCP.
Verify the integration
Recognition succeeds when:
In the app settings page, confirm that the ShardingSphere-MCP app exists and that imported tools are visible.
In a ChatGPT conversation, switch to Developer Mode and select the app.
Invocation succeeds when:
Start with a minimal validation task such as:
Show the tables in <logic-database>.
Show columns and indexes for the orders table.
Call database_gateway_validate_proxy_connectivity for a configured runtime database.
If ChatGPT recognizes the app and can invoke its imported tools, the integration is working.
If the integration fails, check these items first:
Confirm that the remote MCP address is reachable from ChatGPT and is not a local 127.0.0.1 address or a directly exposed unauthenticated built-in HTTP Server.
Confirm that the tool list was refreshed after saving the app and that ChatGPT successfully imported the ShardingSphere-MCP tools.
Confirm that the selected authentication mode matches the actual MCP Server configuration.
Notes
ChatGPT Developer Mode supports both read and write tools. Review write actions and approval prompts carefully before allowing SQL execution or rule changes.
This entry point works only with remote MCP Servers. It does not connect to local STDIO processes.
When multiple apps are enabled in the same conversation, explicitly tell ChatGPT to prefer ShardingSphere-MCP.
This page covers the ChatGPT product UI path only. For OpenAI API code integration, use OpenAI Responses API.
See the Capability Catalog for the supported task surface and usage boundaries.
