Connecting to MySQL from the command line

This article describes how to connect to MySQL from the command line using the mysql program. You can use the mysql program as a quick and easy way to access your databases directly.

Connecting to MySQL from the command line

To connect to MySQL from the command line, follow these steps:

1. Log in to your account using SSH.

2. At the command line, type the following command, replacing username with your username:

   Bash

   mysql -u username -p
   

3. At the Enter Password prompt, type your password. When you type the correct password, the mysql> prompt appears.

4. To display a list of databases, type the following command at the mysql> prompt:

   Bash

   show databases;
   

   📘

   Note

   Make sure you do not forget the semicolon at the end of the statement.

5. To access a specific database, type the following command at the mysql> prompt, replacing dbname with the name of the database that you want to access:

   Bash

   use dbname;
   

   📘

   Note

   Make sure you do not forget the semicolon at the end of the statement.

6. After you access a database, you can run SQL queries, list tables, and so on. Additionally:

   • To view a list of MySQL commands, type help at the mysql> prompt.

   • To exit the mysql program, type \q at the mysql> prompt.

   👍

   Tip

   When you run a command at the mysql> prompt, you may receive a warning message if MySQL encounters a problem. For example, you may run a query and receive a message that resembles the following:

   Query OK, 0 rows affected, 1 warning (0.04 sec).
   

   To view the complete warning message, type the following command:

   Bash

   SHOW WARNINGS;
   

More Information

For more information about the mysql command line program, please visit http://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.1/en/mysql.html.

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