How to Install MySQL on Ubuntu: A Complete and Detailed Guide

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MySQL is one of the most widely used relational database management systems (RDBMS) worldwide. Installing MySQL on Ubuntu is a common requirement for web applications, server deployments, and database management. This guide will walk you through the entire process of setting up MySQL on Ubuntu step-by-step. We'll also reference trusted resources and provide solutions for common issues.

For additional guidance or technical assistance, you can check the Detailed Guide on MySQL Installation on Ubuntu 20.04

🛠️ Prerequisites

Before starting the installation process, ensure that your system meets the following prerequisites:

1. A system running Ubuntu 20.04 or later.
2. A user account with sudo privileges.
3. An active internet connection.

You can verify your Ubuntu version with this command:

lsb_release -a

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🔄 Step 1: Update Your System

It's essential to ensure your package repositories are up-to-date to avoid compatibility issues:

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade -y

This will refresh the package list and install the latest updates for your system.

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Step 2: Install the MySQL Server

Now, install MySQL using the default Ubuntu package manager:

sudo apt install mysql-server -y

This command installs the MySQL database server on your system.

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** Step 3: Start and Enable the MySQL Service**

After installation, you must start the MySQL service and enable it to run automatically at boot:

sudo systemctl start mysql
sudo systemctl enable mysql

Check whether MySQL is running with the following command:

sudo systemctl status mysql

You should see output indicating that the MySQL service is active and running.

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🔒 Step 4: Run the MySQL Secure Installation

After installation, secure your MySQL server by running the mysql_secure_installation script. This script configures important security settings:

sudo mysql_secure_installation

You’ll be prompted with the following options:

1. Set a root password: If the MySQL root password hasn't been set, you'll set it here.
2. Remove anonymous users: Deletes accounts without associated users for better security.
3. Disallow root login remotely: Ensures the MySQL root user can only connect locally.
4. Remove test database and access to it: Eliminates a default database used for testing.
5. Reload privilege tables: Ensures that changes take effect.

Respond to the prompts as per your security preferences. Press Y (yes) to apply changes.

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🖥️ Step 5: Log into MySQL

You can access the MySQL server using:

sudo mysql -u root -p

You will be prompted to enter the root password you set earlier.

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🔄 Step 6: Create a New MySQL User

While using the root user is fine for administrative tasks, it's a best practice to create new users with limited privileges for database security.

CREATE USER 'your_username'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'your_password';
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON *.* TO 'your_username'@'localhost' WITH GRANT OPTION;
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
EXIT;

Replace your_username and your_password with your desired credentials.

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🔍 Step 7: Verify Installation

Check the MySQL version to ensure everything is set up correctly:

mysql --version

You should see output similar to:

mysql  Ver 8.x.x for Linux on x86_64 (Ubuntu)

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💡 Common Issues & Troubleshooting

1. MySQL Service Not Starting

If the MySQL service fails to start, you can check the error logs:

sudo journalctl -xe | grep mysql

This will give you clues about what’s going wrong. You can restart the service using:

sudo systemctl restart mysql

2. Error on realpath() Issue

Sometimes you may encounter errors like:

mysqld: Error on realpath() on '/var/lib/mysql-files' (Error 2 - No such file or directory)

This means MySQL directories weren’t initialized properly. Remove previous MySQL data and reinitialize:

sudo rm -rf /var/lib/mysql/*
sudo mysqld --initialize
sudo systemctl restart mysql

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** Additional Resources**

For advanced installation options, security enhancements, and database management tips, refer to these helpful guides:

1. Guide: How to Install MySQL on Ubuntu

   • Comprehensive step-by-step instructions from Vultr.

2. Mysql Database Management Guide

3. Automated Backups Guide for server

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Final Thoughts

Installing MySQL on Ubuntu should now be a straightforward task with this guide. If you encounter any issues during installation or configuration, refer to Vultr's official MySQL installation and troubleshooting documentation for quick solutions.

Whether you are setting up MySQL for a small project, web server, or enterprise-grade application, this guide has all the basic steps you’ll need to get started. For further help or server management tips, the Vultr resources linked above are an excellent starting point.

Good luck!