My simply MySQL Command Line Cheatsheet
This example displays a plain-text cheat sheet of essential MySQL command-line operations, organized into sections for database and table management, querying, aggregate functions, and multi-table joins. The gist presents over forty commands with syntax templates, usage notes, and links to external tutorials and tools like DataGrip and Sequel Pro. It also includes configuration snippets for `max_allowed_packet` and a bash alias for MAMP’s MySQL binary. The content is sourced from a GitHub gist by user Kirun1.
AI-generated descriptionMySQL
Getting started:
Related tutorials:
Tools:
Commands
Access monitor: mysql -u [username] -p; (will prompt for password)
Show all databases: show databases;
Access database: mysql -u [username] -p [database] (will prompt for password)
Create new database: create database [database];
Select database: use [database];
Determine what database is in use: select database();
Show all tables: show tables;
Show table structure: describe [table];
List all indexes on a table: show index from [table];
Create new table with columns: CREATE TABLE [table] ([column] VARCHAR(120), [another-column] DATETIME);
Adding a column: ALTER TABLE [table] ADD COLUMN [column] VARCHAR(120);
Adding a column with an unique, auto-incrementing ID: ALTER TABLE [table] ADD COLUMN [column] int NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT PRIMARY KEY;
Inserting a record: INSERT INTO [table] ([column], [column]) VALUES ('[value]', [value]');
MySQL function for datetime input: NOW()
Selecting records: SELECT * FROM [table];
Explain records: EXPLAIN SELECT * FROM [table];
Selecting parts of records: SELECT [column], [another-column] FROM [table];
Counting records: SELECT COUNT([column]) FROM [table];
Counting and selecting grouped records: SELECT *, (SELECT COUNT([column]) FROM [table]) AS count FROM [table] GROUP BY [column];
Selecting specific records: SELECT * FROM [table] WHERE [column] = [value]; (Selectors: <, >, !=; combine multiple selectors with AND, OR)
Select records containing [value]: SELECT * FROM [table] WHERE [column] LIKE '%[value]%';
Select records starting with [value]: SELECT * FROM [table] WHERE [column] LIKE '[value]%';
Select records starting with val and ending with ue: SELECT * FROM [table] WHERE [column] LIKE '[val_ue]';
Select a range: SELECT * FROM [table] WHERE [column] BETWEEN [value1] and [value2];
Select with custom order and only limit: SELECT * FROM [table] WHERE [column] ORDER BY [column] ASC LIMIT [value]; (Order: DESC, ASC)
Updating records: UPDATE [table] SET [column] = '[updated-value]' WHERE [column] = [value];
Deleting records: DELETE FROM [table] WHERE [column] = [value];
Delete all records from a table (without dropping the table itself): DELETE FROM [table];
(This also resets the incrementing counter for auto generated columns like an id column.)
Delete all records in a table: truncate table [table];
Removing table columns: ALTER TABLE [table] DROP COLUMN [column];
Deleting tables: DROP TABLE [table];
Deleting databases: DROP DATABASE [database];
Custom column output names: SELECT [column] AS [custom-column] FROM [table];
Export a database dump (more info here): mysqldump -u [username] -p [database] > db_backup.sql
Use --lock-tables=false option for locked tables (more info here).
Import a database dump (more info here): mysql -u [username] -p -h localhost [database] < db_backup.sql
Logout: exit;
Aggregate functions
Select but without duplicates: SELECT distinct name, email, acception FROM owners WHERE acception = 1 AND date >= 2015-01-01 00:00:00
Calculate total number of records: SELECT SUM([column]) FROM [table];
Count total number of [column] and group by [category-column]: SELECT [category-column], SUM([column]) FROM [table] GROUP BY [category-column];
Get largest value in [column]: SELECT MAX([column]) FROM [table];
Get smallest value: SELECT MIN([column]) FROM [table];
Get average value: SELECT AVG([column]) FROM [table];
Get rounded average value and group by [category-column]: SELECT [category-column], ROUND(AVG([column]), 2) FROM [table] GROUP BY [category-column];
Multiple tables
Select from multiple tables: SELECT [table1].[column], [table1].[another-column], [table2].[column] FROM [table1], [table2];
Combine rows from different tables: SELECT * FROM [table1] INNER JOIN [table2] ON [table1].[column] = [table2].[column];
Combine rows from different tables but do not require the join condition: SELECT * FROM [table1] LEFT OUTER JOIN [table2] ON [table1].[column] = [table2].[column]; (The left table is the first table that appears in the statement.)
Rename column or table using an alias: SELECT [table1].[column] AS '[value]', [table2].[column] AS '[value]' FROM [table1], [table2];
Users functions
List all users: SELECT User,Host FROM mysql.user;
Create new user: CREATE USER 'username'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'password';
Grant ALL access to user for * tables: GRANT ALL ON database.* TO 'user'@'localhost';
Find out the IP Address of the Mysql Host
SHOW VARIABLES WHERE Variable_name = 'hostname'; (source)