This is a list of handy MySQL commands that I use time and time again. At the bottom are statements, clauses, and functions you can use in MySQL. Below that are PHP and Perl API functions you can use to interface with MySQL. To use those you will need to build PHP with MySQL functionality. To use MySQL with Perl you will need to use the Perl modules DBI and DBD::mysql.

Below when you see # it means from the unix shell. When you see mysql> it means from a MySQL prompt after logging into MySQL.
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');

MYSQL Statements and clauses

ALTER DATABASE

ALTER TABLE

ALTER VIEW

ANALYZE TABLE

BACKUP TABLE

CACHE INDEX

CHANGE MASTER TO

CHECK TABLE

CHECKSUM TABLE

COMMIT

CREATE DATABASE

CREATE INDEX

CREATE TABLE

CREATE VIEW

DELETE

DESCRIBE

DO

DROP DATABASE

DROP INDEX

DROP TABLE

DROP USER

DROP VIEW

EXPLAIN

FLUSH

GRANT

HANDLER

INSERT

JOIN

KILL

LOAD DATA FROM MASTER

LOAD DATA INFILE

LOAD INDEX INTO CACHE

LOAD TABLE...FROM MASTER

LOCK TABLES

OPTIMIZE TABLE

PURGE MASTER LOGS

RENAME TABLE

REPAIR TABLE

REPLACE

RESET

RESET MASTER

RESET SLAVE

RESTORE TABLE

REVOKE

ROLLBACK

ROLLBACK TO SAVEPOINT

SAVEPOINT

SELECT

SET

SET PASSWORD

SET SQL_LOG_BIN

SET TRANSACTION

SHOW BINLOG EVENTS

SHOW CHARACTER SET

SHOW COLLATION

SHOW COLUMNS

SHOW CREATE DATABASE

SHOW CREATE TABLE

SHOW CREATE VIEW

SHOW DATABASES

SHOW ENGINES

SHOW ERRORS

SHOW GRANTS

SHOW INDEX

SHOW INNODB STATUS

SHOW LOGS

SHOW MASTER LOGS

SHOW MASTER STATUS

SHOW PRIVILEGES

SHOW PROCESSLIST

SHOW SLAVE HOSTS

SHOW SLAVE STATUS

SHOW STATUS

SHOW TABLE STATUS

SHOW TABLES

SHOW VARIABLES

SHOW WARNINGS

START SLAVE

START TRANSACTION

STOP SLAVE

TRUNCATE TABLE

UNION

UNLOCK TABLES

USE