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For the normal interactive login, run mysql -u user -p. The client asks for the password without putting it in your shell command. To connect to another machine, add a host and, when needed, a TCP port: mysql -h db.example.com -P 3306 -u user -p. A successful login leaves you at the mysql> prompt, where you can run SQL.
The basic MySQL command-line login
Open a terminal, Command Prompt, or PowerShell window and use:
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mysql -u user -pReplace user with the MySQL account name. The lowercase -u (or --user) selects that account. The -p option with no password value tells the client to prompt for the password. Type it when prompted; the characters are not echoed to the screen.
If you want to select a database immediately after logging in, append its name:
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mysql -u finley -p db_nameThe database argument is optional. When supplied, it becomes the initial default database for that session, so statements such as SELECT * FROM table_name; are evaluated in that database unless you qualify another one.
What you need before connecting
- A MySQL server must be running and reachable through a local or network transport.
- You need a valid MySQL account and its password. The account’s host permissions determine where it may connect from.
- For a remote connection, you need the server’s DNS name or IP address and the TCP port exposed by that server.
- The
mysqlcommand-line client must be installed and available in your shell’s command path, or you must run it from the directory containing the client executable.
A syntactically correct command can still fail if the server is stopped, a firewall blocks the port, the server listens only on a different address, TLS is required, or the account is not permitted from your client host.
Understand each command-line option
| Option | Purpose | Example |
|---|---|---|
-u or --user |
Selects the MySQL account. | -u appuser |
-p or --password |
Prompts interactively for the password when no value follows it. | -p |
-h or --host |
Chooses the server host. | -h db.example.com |
-P or --port |
Chooses the TCP port. The capital P matters. |
-P 3307 |
-S or --socket |
Names a Unix socket file explicitly. | -S /path/to/mysql.sock |
--protocol=TCP |
Forces a TCP connection instead of a local socket. | mysql --protocol=TCP -P 3307 -u user -p |
--protocol=SOCKET |
Requests a Unix-socket transport where supported. | mysql --protocol=SOCKET -u user -p |
--protocol=PIPE |
Requests a Windows named-pipe transport when the server is configured for it. | mysql --protocol=PIPE -u user -p |
--protocol=MEMORY |
Requests shared memory on supported Windows configurations. | mysql --protocol=MEMORY -u user -p |
Options can be written in their long form with two hyphens, or in the short forms shown above. The database name, if present, is a positional argument after the options.
Connect to a local MySQL server
The default local command
For a typical local installation, start with:
mysql -u root -pUse the account you created rather than root when possible. The command works on Linux and Windows once the server and client are available; the account name and authentication method still come from your installation.
Why localhost may ignore your port
On Unix systems, localhost normally selects a Unix-socket connection. For example:
mysql -h localhost -P 3307 -u user -pmay still try the local socket rather than TCP, so the -P 3307 value does not have the effect you expect. The port option applies to TCP connections; it does not change which socket file a local socket connection uses.
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Force TCP to the local host
Use the loopback IP address when you need TCP:
mysql -h 127.0.0.1 -P 3307 -u user -pAlternatively, retain the host name and select the protocol explicitly:
mysql --protocol=TCP -P 3307 -u user -pThese forms are useful when the server listens on a nondefault port, when you are testing firewall rules, or when a socket connection is failing while TCP is available.
Use a specific Unix socket
If the server uses a socket in a nonstandard location, identify that file:
mysql -S /path/to/mysql.sock -u user -pYou can also write --socket=/path/to/mysql.sock. The path must match the socket created by the running server. A connection error that names a different socket path usually means the client and server are using different configuration defaults.
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Specify the remote host with -h and the TCP port with the capital -P:
mysql -h db.example.com -P 3306 -u user -pPort 3306 is the default for MySQL’s classic TCP protocol. Include -P when the server administrator has configured another port:
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mysql -h 203.0.113.25 -P 3307 -u reporting -p analyticsThis example connects to the account reporting, prompts for its password, and selects analytics as the initial database. Replace the example address, port, account, and database with values supplied for your environment.
A remote command requires more than a reachable IP address. The server must listen for remote connections on an address that accepts your client, the network path and firewall must allow the selected port, and the MySQL account must be authorized for your source host. Some environments also require encrypted connections or additional client options; those requirements are specific to the server’s configuration.
Enter the password safely
Use the interactive prompt
Prefer:
mysql -u user -pAfter you press Enter, the client displays a password prompt. Input is hidden, which prevents someone looking at the terminal from reading it and avoids placing the secret in the command text.
Why not to put the password in the command
Do not use a real password inline, such as:
mysql -u user -psecretMySQL documentation describes command-line passwords as insecure because arguments can be exposed through shell history, process listings, job logs, or other users’ diagnostic tools. The prompt form avoids those exposures in normal use.
Noninteractive jobs
Automation sometimes needs credentials without an interactive prompt. MySQL documents protected option files and login-path files for this purpose. Store credentials with operating-system permissions that restrict access, avoid committing them to source control, and ensure that CI logs do not print the resulting command or secret. Choose the mechanism that your deployment’s security policy supports rather than embedding a password in a script’s argument list.
Transport choices by platform
| Situation | Typical command form | Transport behavior |
|---|---|---|
| Unix local default | mysql -u user -p |
Usually uses the local Unix socket. |
| Unix local TCP | mysql -h 127.0.0.1 -P 3306 -u user -p |
Uses TCP and the specified port. |
| Remote server | mysql -h db.example.com -P 3306 -u user -p |
Uses TCP to the named host and port. |
| Explicit Unix socket | mysql -S /path/to/mysql.sock -u user -p |
Uses the named socket file. |
| Windows named pipe | mysql --protocol=PIPE -u user -p |
Uses a named pipe only when the server and client are configured for it. |
| Windows shared memory | mysql --protocol=MEMORY -u user -p |
Uses shared memory on supported configurations. |
The applicable default depends on the operating system, host value, and client/server configuration. Selecting a protocol explicitly is the reliable way to test a particular transport.
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Windows command-line details
On Windows, you can run the client from the MySQL installation’s bin directory or use the MySQL Command Line Client shortcut supplied with the installation. If mysql is reported as an unknown command from another directory, either change to the directory containing the executable or add that directory to the system or user PATH. The connection syntax itself remains the same:
mysql -u user -pWindows installations may support named pipes or shared memory in addition to TCP. Those transports require corresponding server settings; selecting --protocol=PIPE or --protocol=MEMORY cannot enable a transport that the server has not configured.
Verify the session and run SQL
- Run your connection command and enter the password at the prompt.
- Confirm that the client displays
mysql>. This prompt means the interactive client is ready to accept SQL or client commands. - Type a SQL statement and terminate it with a semicolon, for example
SELECT DATABASE();. MySQL also accepts\gas a statement terminator. - Continue entering statements. If you supplied a database name on the command line, it is the initial default; otherwise select one with
USE database_name;when your account has permission. - End the session with
QUIT;or\q. On Unix, pressing Control-D also disconnects.
A semicolon is required to execute a multi-line SQL statement. If the prompt changes while you are typing, the client is waiting for the rest of an unfinished statement; complete it with the appropriate closing syntax and terminator.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Troubleshoot a failed connection
“mysql: command not found” or an unknown command
The client executable is not in the shell’s search path. Run it from the installation’s bin directory, use its full path, or add that directory to PATH. This is a client-side lookup problem, so changing the host, port, or password will not fix it.
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The server was reached, but authentication or account authorization failed. Check the account spelling, enter the password again, and verify that the account is permitted from the host you are connecting from. A user allowed from the local machine may be rejected from a remote address even when the password is correct. If the server uses an authentication plugin or requires TLS, use the connection settings specified by its administrator.
“Can’t connect to local MySQL server through socket”
This usually indicates that the client tried a Unix socket that does not exist, is not the server’s socket, or belongs to a server that is not running. Confirm the server’s configured socket path and retry with -S /path/to/mysql.sock. If the server is listening on TCP instead, bypass socket selection with -h 127.0.0.1 -P port or --protocol=TCP.
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“Connection refused”
The target host was reached but no service accepted the TCP connection on that port. Verify the port number, confirm that the MySQL server is running and listening on that port, and check local or network firewall rules. For a local test, compare localhost with 127.0.0.1 so that you know whether you are testing a socket or TCP.
Timeouts or unreachable host errors
A timeout commonly points to routing, firewall filtering, an incorrect DNS name or address, or a server that is not exposed to your network. Confirm the host and port with the server administrator. Do not assume that a server’s public address implies that MySQL is intentionally open to the public internet.
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The command reaches the server but selects the wrong database
A database name on the command line only sets the initial default database; it does not grant access. Check the spelling and permissions, then run USE database_name; after login if you need to change databases. If the named database does not exist or your account cannot use it, authentication can succeed while the database selection fails.
TLS or encryption errors
Some servers require encrypted connections or reject unencrypted clients. The basic login syntax does not by itself establish every possible TLS policy. Obtain the server’s required certificate, verification, and client options from its administrator or hosting documentation, then add those options to the same host, port, user, and password command. Avoid disabling certificate verification merely to make a test connect.
Choose the right command quickly
- Local server, normal Unix setup:
mysql -u user -p - Local server over TCP:
mysql -h 127.0.0.1 -P 3306 -u user -p - Local server with a known socket:
mysql -S /path/to/mysql.sock -u user -p - Remote server on the standard port:
mysql -h db.example.com -P 3306 -u user -p - Remote server on a custom port:
mysql -h db.example.com -P 3307 -u user -p - Login and select a database immediately:
mysql -h db.example.com -P 3306 -u user -p db_name
In every case, keep -p without a value when you want the password prompt. Change the host, port, socket, account, and database only to match the server you are authorized to use.
Quick Recap
Key distinctions to remember
localhoston Unix normally means a Unix socket, while127.0.0.1forces a TCP loopback connection.-Pselects a TCP port; it does not select a Unix socket file.- The classic MySQL TCP port defaults to
3306, but installations can be configured differently. - The
mysql>prompt confirms that the interactive client is ready; it does not by itself prove that every database or statement is authorized. - Use the password prompt or a protected credentials mechanism rather than exposing a password in command-line arguments.
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