Install MySQL on Ubuntu / Debian

Popular open source SQL relational database.

Databasesqlrdbmsrelationaldatabaseacid

Installation

Server (Ubuntu repositories) · apt

sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y mysql-server

Ubuntu's main repository provides Oracle MySQL Server.

Verify the installation

Verify

$ mysql --version

Service

Start

$ sudo systemctl start mysql

Stop

$ sudo systemctl stop mysql

Status

$ sudo systemctl status mysql

Restart

$ sudo systemctl restart mysql

On boot

$ sudo systemctl enable mysql

Important files

Type	Path	Description
config	/etc/mysql/my.cnf	Top-level configuration (includes mysql.conf.d and conf.d).
data	/var/lib/mysql	Data directory.
log	/var/log/mysql/error.log	Server error log.

Default ports

3306

Command-line tools

mysqlInteractive SQL client.
mysqladminAdministrative client.
mysql_secure_installationHardening script for the installation.

Uninstall

sudo apt purge -y 'mysql-server*' mysql-client
sudo apt autoremove -y

The /var/lib/mysql data directory remains; delete it manually to wipe everything.

Good to know

Run sudo mysql_secure_installation after install to set the root password and apply secure defaults.
The default root account uses auth_socket: connect with sudo mysql, then switch to a password if needed.
Debian (unlike Ubuntu) ships MariaDB under the mysql name; this guide targets Ubuntu's Oracle MySQL.

Installation on Ubuntu

sudo apt install -y mysql-server installs Oracle MySQL from Ubuntu's main repository and registers the mysql systemd service, started automatically. Verify with mysql --version.

Securing and first connection

By default the root account authenticates via the auth_socket plugin: connect as the system root with sudo mysql. Run sudo mysql_secure_installation to set passwords and remove insecure defaults. To use a password for root, switch its plugin to mysql_native_password from a SQL prompt.

Files and logs

The configuration entry point is /etc/mysql/my.cnf (which includes mysql.conf.d and conf.d); data lives in /var/lib/mysql and errors are logged to /var/log/mysql/error.log.