anomalyco/sst · error · VisibleError

You must provide the password to connect to your locally run

Error message

You must provide the password to connect to your locally running MySQL database either by setting the "dev.password" or by setting the top-level "password" property.

What it means

When running MySQL in dev mode (sst dev), SST needs a password to connect to the locally running database. If neither dev.password nor the top-level password property is set, it throws this VisibleError.

Source

Thrown at platform/src/components/aws/mysql.ts:605

      if (args.vpc instanceof Vpc) {
        return {
          subnets: args.vpc.privateSubnets,
        };
      }

      // "vpc" is object
      return output(args.vpc);
    }

    function registerDev() {
      if (!args.dev) return undefined;

      if (
        $dev &&
        args.dev.password === undefined &&
        args.password === undefined
      ) {
        throw new VisibleError(
          `You must provide the password to connect to your locally running MySQL database either by setting the "dev.password" or by setting the top-level "password" property.`,
        );
      }

      const dev = {
        enabled: $dev,
        host: output(args.dev.host ?? "localhost"),
        port: output(args.dev.port ?? 3306),
        username: args.dev.username ? output(args.dev.username) : username,
        password: output(args.dev.password ?? args.password ?? ""),
        database: args.dev.database ? output(args.dev.database) : dbName,
      };

      new DevCommand(`${name}Dev`, {
        dev: {
          title: name,
          autostart: true,
          command: `sst print-and-not-quit`,

View on GitHub (pinned to a0bd20f762)

Solutions

Set dev.password in the MySql component config
Or set the top-level password property on the component
Re-run `sst dev` after adding the password

Example fix

// before
new sst.aws.MySql("MyDb", { dev: { partitions: 1 } });
// after
new sst.aws.MySql("MyDb", {
  dev: { partitions: 1, password: "localpassword" }
});

Defensive patterns

Strategy: validation

Validate before calling

// Before enabling dev mode for MySql
if (dev && args.dev?.password === undefined && args.password === undefined) {
  throw new Error("Set dev.password or password for local MySQL");
}

Prevention

Always set dev.password when configuring MySql dev mode
Keep a local dev password in .env (not committed) and feed it to the component
Document required dev settings in the project README
Test `sst dev` startup in CI smoke runs

When it happens

Trigger: Running `sst dev` with a MySql component that has dev mode enabled but both args.dev.password and args.password undefined.

Common situations: Adding a MySql component in dev mode and forgetting to set a local password; copying a prod config that relies on Secrets Manager into dev where no password exists.

Related errors

AI-assisted analysis of anomalyco/sst@a0bd20f762 (2026-08-30). Data as JSON: /api/errors/888ee1f315eea6b5. Report an issue: GitHub.