MySQL Docker images usually come without SSH connection. It's fine for apps to connect within an internal network, but need additional work to have SSH connection to access it remotely.

Overview

Here is how it looks for this setup

SSH Connection to Docker MySQL

Let's have some code

  1. We need a Dockerfile to inherit from original Dockerfile 
FROM mysql:8.0-debian

# Install SSH server
RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y openssh-server && \
    mkdir /var/run/sshd && \
    echo 'root:yourpassword' | chpasswd && \
    sed -i 's/#PermitRootLogin prohibit-password/PermitRootLogin yes/' /etc/ssh/sshd_config && \
    sed -i 's/#PasswordAuthentication yes/PasswordAuthentication yes/' /etc/ssh/sshd_config

# Ensure SSH service starts properly
RUN echo '/usr/sbin/sshd' >> /etc/bash.bashrc

# Expose SSH and MariaDB ports
EXPOSE 22 3306

# Copy a script to start both SSH and MariaDB
COPY start.sh /start.sh
RUN chmod +x /start.sh

# Use the custom start script as the entry point
ENTRYPOINT ["/start.sh"]
  1. Entrypoint 
#!/bin/bash
# Start the SSH server
service ssh start

exec /usr/local/bin/docker-entrypoint.sh mysqld
  1. Example of docker-compose.yml 
services:
  db-ssh:
    build:
      context: .
      dockerfile: Dockerfile
    restart: always
    platform: linux/amd64
    ports:
      - "2222:22"
    environment:
      MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD: root
      MYSQL_DATABASE: demodb
      MYSQL_USER: demo

It's done for coding!

Let's connect

By terminal 

# To connect to SSH server
ssh root@localhost -p 2222
# Are you sure you want to continue connecting (yes/no/[fingerprint])? yes
# Password is what you have set in Dockerfile

# After access SSH server, we can connect to MySQL server
# Debian GNU/Linux comes with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by applicable law.
# Last login: Sun May  4 10:44:44 2025 from 192.168.228.1
root@4fb7b6bc3e1b:~# mysql -h localhost -u root -p
Enter password: root

# Then it will show you this
Welcome to the MySQL monitor.  Commands end with ; or \g.
Your MySQL connection id is 13
Server version: 8.0.41 MySQL Community Server - GPL

Copyright (c) 2000, 2025, Oracle and/or its affiliates.

Oracle is a registered trademark of Oracle Corporation and/or its
affiliates. Other names may be trademarks of their respective
owners.

Type 'help;' or '\h' for help. Type '\c' to clear the current input statement.

mysql>

By GUI app (Sequel Ace)

Use SSH connection on Sequel Ace

MySQL Host is localhost because it uses internal address within container.