To login (from unix shell) use -h only if needed. # [mysql dir]/bin/mysql -h hostname -u root -p Create a database on the sql server. mysql> create database [databasename]; List all databases on the sql server. mysql> show databases; Switch to a database. mysql> use [db name]; To see all the tables in the db. mysql> show tables; To see database's field formats. mysql> describe [table name]; To delete a db. mysql> drop database [database name]; To delete a table. mysql> drop table [table name]; Show all data in a table. mysql> SELECT * FROM [table name]; Returns the columns and column information pertaining to the designated table. mysql> show columns from [table name]; Show certain selected rows with the value "whatever". mysql> SELECT * FROM [table name] WHERE [field name] = "whatever"; Show all records containing the name "Bob" AND the phone number '3444444'. mysql> SELECT * FROM [table name] WHERE name = "Bob" AND phone_number = '3444444'; Show all records not containing the name "Bob" AND the phone number '3444444' order by the phone_number field. mysql> SELECT * FROM [table name] WHERE name != "Bob" AND phone_number = '3444444' order by phone_number; Show all records starting with the letters 'bob' AND the phone number '3444444'. mysql> SELECT * FROM [table name] WHERE name like "Bob%" AND phone_number = '3444444'; Show all records starting with the letters 'bob' AND the phone number '3444444' limit to records 1 through 5. mysql> SELECT * FROM [table name] WHERE name like "Bob%" AND phone_number = '3444444' limit 1,5; Use a regular expression to find records. Use "REGEXP BINARY" to force case-sensitivity. This finds any record beginning with a. mysql> SELECT * FROM [table name] WHERE rec RLIKE "^a"; Show unique records. mysql> SELECT DISTINCT [column name] FROM [table name]; Show selected records sorted in an ascending (asc) or descending (desc). mysql> SELECT [col1],[col2] FROM [table name] ORDER BY [col2] DESC; Return number of rows. mysql> SELECT COUNT(*) FROM [table name]; Sum column. mysql> SELECT SUM(*) FROM [table name]; Join tables on common columns. mysql> select lookup.illustrationid, lookup.personid,person.birthday from lookup left join person on lookup.personid=person.personid=statement to join birthday in person table with primary illustration id; Creating a new user. Login as root. Switch to the MySQL db. Make the user. Update privs. # mysql -u root -p mysql> use mysql; mysql> INSERT INTO user (Host,User,Password) VALUES('%','username',PASSWORD('password')); mysql> flush privileges; Change a users password from unix shell. # [mysql dir]/bin/mysqladmin -u username -h hostname.blah.org -p password 'new-password' Change a users password from MySQL prompt. Login as root. Set the password. Update privs. # mysql -u root -p mysql> SET PASSWORD FOR 'user'@'hostname' = PASSWORD('passwordhere'); mysql> flush privileges; Recover a MySQL root password. Stop the MySQL server process. Start again with no grant tables. Login to MySQL as root. Set new password. Exit MySQL and restart MySQL server. # /etc/init.d/mysql stop # mysqld_safe --skip-grant-tables & # mysql -u root mysql> use mysql; mysql> update user set password=PASSWORD("newrootpassword") where User='root'; mysql> flush privileges; mysql> quit # /etc/init.d/mysql stop # /etc/init.d/mysql start Set a root password if there is on root password. # mysqladmin -u root password newpassword Update a root password. # mysqladmin -u root -p oldpassword newpassword Allow the user "bob" to connect to the server from localhost using the password "passwd". Login as root. Switch to the MySQL db. Give privs. Update privs. # mysql -u root -p mysql> use mysql; mysql> grant usage on *.* to bob@localhost identified by 'passwd'; mysql> flush privileges; Give user privilages for a db. Login as root. Switch to the MySQL db. Grant privs. Update privs. # mysql -u root -p mysql> use mysql; mysql> INSERT INTO db (Host,Db,User,Select_priv,Insert_priv,Update_priv,Delete_priv,Create_priv,Drop_priv) VALUES ('%','databasename','username','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y','N'); mysql> flush privileges; or mysql> grant all privileges on databasename.* to username@localhost; mysql> flush privileges; To update info already in a table. mysql> UPDATE [table name] SET Select_priv = 'Y',Insert_priv = 'Y',Update_priv = 'Y' where [field name] = 'user'; Delete a row(s) from a table. mysql> DELETE from [table name] where [field name] = 'whatever'; Update database permissions/privilages. mysql> flush privileges; Delete a column. mysql> alter table [table name] drop column [column name]; Add a new column to db. mysql> alter table [table name] add column [new column name] varchar (20); Change column name. mysql> alter table [table name] change [old column name] [new column name] varchar (50); Make a unique column so you get no dupes. mysql> alter table [table name] add unique ([column name]); Make a column bigger. mysql> alter table [table name] modify [column name] VARCHAR(3); Delete unique from table. mysql> alter table [table name] drop index [colmn name]; Load a CSV file into a table. mysql> LOAD DATA INFILE '/tmp/filename.csv' replace INTO TABLE [table name] FIELDS TERMINATED BY ',' LINES TERMINATED BY '\n' (field1,field2,field3); Dump all databases for backup. Backup file is sql commands to recreate all db's. # [mysql dir]/bin/mysqldump -u root -ppassword --opt >/tmp/alldatabases.sql Dump one database for backup. # [mysql dir]/bin/mysqldump -u username -ppassword --databases databasename >/tmp/databasename.sql Dump a table from a database. # [mysql dir]/bin/mysqldump -c -u username -ppassword databasename tablename > /tmp/databasename.tablename.sql Restore database (or database table) from backup. # [mysql dir]/bin/mysql -u username -ppassword databasename < /tmp/databasename.sql Create Table Example 1. mysql> CREATE TABLE [table name] (firstname VARCHAR(20), middleinitial VARCHAR(3), lastname VARCHAR(35),suffix VARCHAR(3),officeid VARCHAR(10),userid VARCHAR(15),username VARCHAR(8),email VARCHAR(35),phone VARCHAR(25), groups VARCHAR(15),datestamp DATE,timestamp time,pgpemail VARCHAR(255)); Create Table Example 2. mysql> create table [table name] (personid int(50) not null auto_increment primary key,firstname varchar(35),middlename varchar(50),lastnamevarchar(50) default 'bato');