The Tool Desk
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mysql -u user -pFor another machine, add the server name and, when needed, its TCP port:
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What you need before running the client
A syntactically correct command can still fail if the surrounding setup is not ready. Confirm these prerequisites first:
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- A MySQL server is running and accepting the transport you intend to use.
- The command-line client is installed and available in your shell, or you are running it from the installation’s client directory.
- You have a valid MySQL account name and password.
- Your account is permitted to connect from the host where you run the client.
- For a remote connection, the hostname or address resolves to the intended server, the selected port is reachable, and any firewall or network policy allows the connection.
- If the server requires a particular authentication plugin or TLS configuration, the client and server settings must be compatible.
These conditions are independent of command syntax. A command can be written correctly while the server is stopped, listening on another port, restricted to a different source host, or requiring security settings that the client has not been given.
Understand the command options
The standard interactive pattern is built from four options. Option values are separated from the option by a space in the examples below.
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|---|---|---|
-u user or --user=user |
Selects the MySQL account. | Replace user with the account that should authenticate. |
-p |
Prompts for the account password interactively. | Use the bare option for normal logins; do not append the real password in a shared shell. |
-h host or --host=host |
Selects the MySQL server host. | Required when the target is not the local default, and useful when choosing a specific local address. |
-P port or --port=port |
Selects a TCP port. | Use it for a nondefault TCP listener. The classic MySQL protocol’s documented default is TCP port 3306. |
A database name can follow the options. It is optional; when supplied, it becomes the initial default database after authentication. For example:
mysql -u finley -p db_nameThis does not change which server or account is used. It only asks the client to select db_name as the starting database once the login succeeds.
Connect to a local server interactively
Use the normal local login
- Open a terminal, Command Prompt, or the MySQL Command Line Client.
- Run the standard command, replacing
userwith your account:
mysql -u user -p- When the client displays a password prompt, type the password and press Enter. The characters normally are not echoed.
- Wait for the
mysql>prompt. That prompt indicates that the interactive client is ready to accept SQL.
If the local server uses its default local transport and your account is allowed to connect, no host or port option is needed. If you want a particular database loaded immediately, append its name as shown in the previous section.
Know what “local” means
“Local” describes where you run the client, not necessarily the transport used. On Unix, the host name localhost normally selects a Unix-socket connection. A socket is a local operating-system endpoint, so a command that names localhost can avoid TCP entirely. This distinction matters when the server is listening on a custom TCP port but the socket file or socket location is different.
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Use a hostname and the default TCP port
For a server reachable as db.example.com on the classic protocol’s default port, run:
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mysql -h db.example.com -u user -pAdding -h selects the remote host. If you omit -P, the client uses the protocol’s default TCP port, 3306, unless another configuration has changed the effective setting.
Specify a custom TCP port
If the server listens on another port, include it explicitly:
mysql -h db.example.com -P 3307 -u user -pThe uppercase -P identifies the TCP port. Use the port configured on the server or supplied by the administrator; choosing an arbitrary open port does not make MySQL available there.
Connect by address
A resolvable DNS name is not required if you have a reachable address:
mysql -h 203.0.113.20 -P 3306 -u user -pThe address, port, firewall policy, server bind configuration, and account’s permitted source hosts must all agree. A successful network route alone does not grant MySQL authentication.
Choose between a Unix socket and TCP
Why localhost can ignore your port
On Unix-like systems, localhost normally means “use the local Unix socket.” Consequently, this command can still attempt a socket connection even though it contains a port number:
mysql -h localhost -P 3307 -u user -pThe -P 3307 value applies to TCP. It does not force the client to switch away from the socket implied by localhost.
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Force TCP to the local machine
Use the loopback address when you want TCP and a specific port:
mysql -h 127.0.0.1 -P 3307 -u user -pAlternatively, keep a host name and select the protocol explicitly:
mysql --protocol=TCP -P 3307 -u user -pThese forms are useful when testing a TCP listener, reproducing the same transport used by a remote application, or diagnosing a mismatch between a socket and a port.
Name the socket explicitly
When the server’s socket is not at the client’s expected location, specify it with -S or its long form:
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mysql -S /path/to/mysql.sock -u user -pThis selects the socket path directly. It is separate from TCP port selection, so adding -P does not correct a wrong socket path.
Compare the local transport choices
| Goal | Example | Transport selected |
|---|---|---|
| Use the usual local default | mysql -u user -p |
Platform-dependent local default; on Unix, a local socket is commonly selected. |
| Use TCP on the loopback address | mysql -h 127.0.0.1 -P 3307 -u user -p |
TCP to the specified port. |
| Force TCP explicitly | mysql --protocol=TCP -P 3307 -u user -p |
TCP, with the port supplied. |
| Use a known socket file | mysql -S /path/to/mysql.sock -u user -p |
The named Unix socket. |
Try localhost with a port |
mysql -h localhost -P 3307 -u user -p |
Usually the Unix socket on Unix systems; the port may not be used. |
Enter the password safely
Prefer an interactive prompt
The safest everyday form is the bare -p option:
mysql -u user -pThe client asks for the password after the command is submitted. This keeps the secret out of the command text that you just typed and avoids placing it in the process argument list in the first place.
Why -psecret is discouraged
Do not normally write a password immediately after -p, such as:
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mysql -u user -psecretMySQL documentation warns that specifying a password on the command line should be considered insecure because command-line arguments can be exposed to other users or system tools. The risk is especially important on shared workstations, multi-user servers, build logs, screen recordings, shell history, and automation output.
Use a protected credentials mechanism for automation
For repeated or noninteractive connections, MySQL points to option files and login path files as safer places to store connection credentials than a literal command-line password. Protect the file with the operating system’s access controls and follow your organization’s secret-management policy. The exact file location and permissions vary by platform and installation, so verify them for the client environment rather than copying a path from an unrelated system.
Do not assume that hiding a password in a shell variable makes it safe: variables can also leak through debugging output, inherited environments, or scripts. A prompt is appropriate for an administrator at a terminal; a protected credentials mechanism is more suitable when a process must connect without human input.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Platform-specific transport and client notes
Linux and other Unix-like systems
Unix systems support TCP and Unix sockets for MySQL connections. The localhost socket behavior described above is the most common source of confusion when a server has a custom TCP port. Use 127.0.0.1 or --protocol=TCP for a deliberate TCP test, and -S when the socket path is known.
Windows
MySQL documents TCP, Windows named pipes, and shared memory as possible transports on Windows, with the applicable default depending on the installation and configuration. The client supports protocol selectors including:
--protocol=TCP
--protocol=SOCKET
--protocol=PIPE
--protocol=MEMORYUse only a protocol supported and enabled by the server and client on that machine. A command that works over TCP is not evidence that named-pipe or shared-memory connections are configured, and vice versa.
On a Windows installation that includes the bundled client, you may run the command from the MySQL installation’s bin directory or use the MySQL Command Line Client shortcut. If the shell reports that mysql is not recognized, start the bundled shortcut or change to the directory containing the client executable; adding that directory to the system path is an installation choice, not a MySQL login requirement.
Recognize a successful session and run SQL
Use the prompt as the readiness check
After authentication, the client displays:
mysql>At that prompt, enter SQL statements. End a statement with a semicolon or with the client terminator g. For example:
SELECT CURRENT_USER();The semicolon tells the interactive client to send the statement. If you prefer the alternate terminator, enter the statement followed by g instead.
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Start in a particular database
Appending a database name to the login command requests that it be selected as the initial default database. If you omit the name, you can still connect and work with statements that fully qualify their database objects, or select a database later according to your account’s permissions.
Exit the MySQL client
At the mysql> prompt, either enter:
QUIT;or use the short command:
qOn Unix, pressing Control-D also disconnects from the interactive client. Exiting the client ends that session; it does not stop the MySQL server.
Troubleshoot a command that does not connect
The client command is not found
This means the shell cannot locate the MySQL client executable. On Windows, launch the bundled MySQL Command Line Client or run the command from the installation’s bin directory. On other systems, use the client installation’s documented executable path or adjust the shell path for that user. This is a client-installation issue, not a password failure.
A local connection fails with a socket-related message
First decide whether you intended a socket or TCP:
- For the socket, find the server’s actual socket path and pass it with
-S /path/to/mysql.sock. - For TCP, replace
localhostwith127.0.0.1and include the configured port, or use--protocol=TCP.
Do not keep changing the password while the client is attempting the wrong transport. A valid account cannot authenticate through a socket that does not exist or a port where no server is listening.
A remote connection times out or is refused
Check the host name or address, then verify the server’s configured TCP port. The classic default is 3306, but administrators can choose another port. Confirm that the server is running, listening on the intended interface, and reachable through intervening firewalls or network controls. If the server binds only to a local interface, a remote client cannot reach it even when the port number is correct.
The server rejects the account
Re-enter the account name and password at the prompt, paying attention to which account you intended to use. MySQL accounts can be restricted by the host from which the connection originates, so an account that works locally may be denied remotely. Authentication plugins and required TLS settings can also differ between installations; obtain the server’s required connection policy from its administrator instead of weakening security options blindly.
The command uses the wrong port
Remember that -P controls TCP only. If the command uses -h localhost on Unix, the client may still choose a socket. Use 127.0.0.1 or --protocol=TCP to make a port test meaningful. Conversely, if the server is available only through a socket, remove the TCP assumptions and provide the correct socket path.
A script exposes the password
Replace an inline password with the bare -p prompt for interactive work. For unattended work, move credentials to a properly protected option or login path file and review who can read it. Also inspect shell history, CI logs, process listings, and debugging output for secrets that may already have been recorded.
Quick Recap
Pick the right command for the situation
| Situation | Command | Important qualification |
|---|---|---|
| Interactive login to the usual local server | mysql -u user -p |
Uses the platform’s normal local transport; Unix commonly selects a socket. |
| Local server over TCP on the default port | mysql -h 127.0.0.1 -P 3306 -u user -p |
Explicitly tests TCP rather than the Unix localhost socket behavior. |
| Local server over a custom TCP port | mysql -h 127.0.0.1 -P 3307 -u user -p |
Replace 3307 with the configured listener. |
| Remote server on the default classic port | mysql -h db.example.com -u user -p |
Uses the documented default TCP port, 3306, unless another setting overrides it. |
| Remote server on a custom port | mysql -h db.example.com -P 3307 -u user -p |
The network path and firewall must allow that port. |
| Known Unix socket | mysql -S /path/to/mysql.sock -u user -p |
Requires the exact socket path and a server listening on it. |
| Immediate default database | mysql -u user -p db_name |
db_name is selected after authentication if the account can access it. |
A short operational checklist
- Start with
-u user -p; let the client prompt for the password. - Add
-hfor a named or remote server. - Add uppercase
-Ponly when you are selecting a TCP port. - Use 3306 as the classic TCP default unless the server documentation specifies another port.
- On Unix, remember that
localhostnormally means a socket. - Use
127.0.0.1or--protocol=TCPto force local TCP. - Use
-Swhen the required Unix socket path is known. - Never place a real password directly after
-pin a shared or observable command line. - Confirm the
mysql>prompt before sending SQL. - Leave with
QUIT;,q, or Control-D on Unix.
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