How to Install MySQL on macOS

Prerequisites

Before you begin the installation process for MySQL on macOS, you need to ensure that you have the following prerequisites:

A macOS computer with administrative privileges
An active internet connection

It is important to have administrative privileges on your macOS computer as the installation process requires making system-level changes. If you are not the administrator on your computer, you will need to contact your system administrator for assistance.

An active internet connection is essential to download the necessary software and dependencies required for MySQL installation. Stable internet connectivity will ensure a smooth and uninterrupted installation process. If you are using a limited or unreliable internet connection, it is recommended to switch to a more stable network before proceeding.

It is also beneficial to have a basic understanding of working with the macOS Terminal and command-line interface (CLI). The installation and configuration process for MySQL involves executing commands in the Terminal. Familiarity with the Terminal and its commands will make it easier to follow the installation instructions and troubleshoot any potential issues that may arise.

Now that you have ensured you have the necessary prerequisites, you can proceed to the next step, which is installing Homebrew, a package manager that will facilitate the installation of MySQL on macOS.

Step 1: Installing Homebrew

Before you can install MySQL on macOS, you need to install Homebrew, a popular package manager for macOS. Homebrew simplifies the process of installing and managing software packages on your system.

To install Homebrew, follow these steps:

Open the Terminal application on your macOS computer. You can find it in the “Utilities” folder within the “Applications” folder.
Once the Terminal is open, copy and paste the following command:

/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"

Press the “Enter” key to execute the command. You may be prompted to enter your administrator password. Enter the password and press “Enter” again.
The installation process will begin and may take a few minutes to complete. During the installation, you will see various logs and prompts. It is normal for the Terminal to show some activity during this time.

Once Homebrew is successfully installed, you will see a confirmation message in the Terminal. You can now proceed to the next step, which is installing MySQL on your macOS system.

Step 2: Installing MySQL

Now that you have Homebrew installed on your macOS system, you can proceed with installing MySQL. Homebrew makes the installation process for MySQL seamless and straightforward.

To install MySQL using Homebrew, follow these steps:

Open a new Terminal window on your macOS computer.
Copy and paste the following command into the Terminal:

brew install mysql

Press the “Enter” key to execute the command. Homebrew will start downloading and installing the MySQL package along with any necessary dependencies.
During the installation process, you may be prompted to enter your administrator password. Enter the password and press “Enter”.

Once the installation is complete, you will see a success message in the Terminal, indicating that MySQL has been installed on your macOS system.

At this point, you have successfully installed MySQL on your macOS computer. However, there are a few additional steps you need to follow in order to configure MySQL and start using it. The next step will guide you through starting and stopping the MySQL service.

Step 3: Starting and Stopping MySQL

After installing MySQL on your macOS system, you need to start the MySQL service to be able to use it. You can also stop the service when you no longer need to use MySQL.

Here are the steps to start and stop MySQL:

Open a new Terminal window on your macOS computer.
To start the MySQL service, enter the following command:

mysql.server start

Press the “Enter” key to execute the command. This will start the MySQL service, and you will be able to use MySQL on your system.
If you need to stop the MySQL service, open a new Terminal window and enter the following command:

mysql.server stop

Press the “Enter” key to execute the command. This will stop the MySQL service, and MySQL will no longer be running on your system.

It is important to note that starting and stopping the MySQL service is necessary whenever you want to use or stop using MySQL. By starting the service, you can access and manage your MySQL databases, while stopping the service ensures that MySQL is not consuming system resources when not in use.

In the next step, we will guide you through the process of configuring MySQL to ensure optimal performance and security.

Step 4: Configuring MySQL

After installing and starting the MySQL service on your macOS system, it is important to configure it to suit your needs. Configuration allows you to optimize MySQL’s performance, set security parameters, and customize other settings.

Follow these steps to configure MySQL:

Open a new Terminal window on your macOS computer.
Enter the following command to access the MySQL command-line interface:

mysql -u root

Press the “Enter” key to execute the command. You will be prompted to enter your MySQL root password. If you have not set a password, simply press “Enter” to proceed.
Once you have successfully logged into the MySQL command-line interface, you can start configuring MySQL based on your specific requirements.

Some common configuration tasks include:

Creating new MySQL users with specific privileges
Creating new databases
Modifying database settings
Setting up remote access to MySQL

It is recommended to consult the MySQL documentation or seek additional resources to learn more about the available configuration options and best practices for your specific use case.

Once you have completed the necessary configuration, you can exit the MySQL command-line interface by entering the following command:

exit

Press the “Enter” key to exit the MySQL command-line interface.

Congratulations! You have successfully configured MySQL on your macOS system. The final step is to test the MySQL installation to ensure it is functioning as expected.

Step 5: Testing MySQL Installation

After completing the installation and configuration of MySQL on your macOS system, it’s crucial to test the installation to ensure everything is functioning correctly. This step will verify that MySQL is running properly and that you can access and interact with your databases.

Follow these steps to test your MySQL installation:

Open a new Terminal window on your macOS computer.
Enter the following command to access the MySQL command-line interface:

mysql -u root

Press the “Enter” key to execute the command. If you have set a root password during the configuration process, you will be prompted to enter it now.
Once you are logged into the MySQL command-line interface, you can run some basic commands to test the installation.

Here are a few simple commands you can try:

To display the list of available databases, enter the following command:

SHOW DATABASES;

To create a new database, execute the following command:

CREATE DATABASE my_database;

To create a new user with privileges to access a database, use the following command:

CREATE USER 'my_user'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'my_password';

These are just a few examples of MySQL commands you can try to test your installation. Feel free to explore additional commands and functionalities to become more familiar with MySQL.

Once you have tested the MySQL installation and performed the necessary operations, you can exit the MySQL command-line interface by entering:

exit

Press the “Enter” key to exit the MySQL command-line interface.

If you were able to execute the commands successfully without any errors, then your MySQL installation is working correctly, and you are ready to start utilizing MySQL for your projects and applications.

Congratulations! You have now completed the installation, configuration, and testing of MySQL on your macOS system. You can now begin leveraging the power of MySQL to manage your databases efficiently and effectively.