Create a MySQL User on Linux via Command Line

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MySQL via Command Line 101: Basic Database Interaction

MySQL is an open source, relational database management application primarily used on Linux as a component of the LAMP stack (Linux, Apache, MySQL, and PHP). When administering MySQL, an important operation is the creation of user accounts.

This article discusses how to create a MySQL user on Linux via the command line. The commands used should also work on later versions of MySQL on CentOS.

Prerequisites

• Server running CentOS or AlmaLinux.
• Root level access and log in as the root user.
• Have access to a terminal.
• Basic knowledge of the command line.

How to Create a MySQL User on Linux via Command Line

Step 1: Access the MySQL Server

Open a terminal to access the MySQL server from the command line using the following command. It specifies the root user with the -u flag. The -p flag makes MySQL prompt for a password. Enter your current password to complete the login.

mysql -u root -p

The system presents the below MySQL prompt. You can change a password for MySQL via the command line for the root or any other user in the database here.

mysql> 

Step 2: Create the MySQL User

Use the following command to create a user. For this tutorial, the username is testuser, and the password is test123test!. For your use, change these to your respective username and password.

mysql> CREATE USER 'testuser'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'test123test!';

This single command creates the MySQL user. For the user to login and perform task in the MySQL databases, you need to grant them additional permissions, which is covered in another tutorial.

Step 3: Confirm the Created User

To confirm the newly created user, use the following command to view a full list of MySQL users, including the host with which they are associated.

SELECT User,Host FROM mysql.user;

Wrapping Up

MySQL is an excellent database management system capable of many database functions. Knowing how to create a MySQL user on Linux via the command line helps administrators keep track of and update database users. Existing Liquid Web customers with managed hosting services enjoy 24/7/365 support for these and other functions.

Liquid Web’s Linux-based VPS Hosting, Cloud Dedicated Servers, and Dedicated Servers come with MySQL and are updatable to MariaDB for those that prefer it. Contact our sales team today for more information.