3.1 Overview of MySQL Programs

MySQL AB provides several types of programs:

• The MYSQL server and server startup scripts:

  • mysqld is the MySQL server

  • mysqld_safe , mysql.server , and mysqld_multi are server startup scripts

  • mysql_install_db initializes the data directory and the initial databases

  These programs are discussed further in Chapter 4, "Database Administration."

• Client programs that access the server:

  • mysql is a command-line client for executing SQL statements interactively or in batch mode

  • mysqlcc (MySQL Control Center) is an interactive graphical tool for executing SQL statements and administration

  • mysqladmin is an administrative client

  • mysqlcheck performs table maintenance operations

  • mysqldump and mysqlhotcopy make database backups

  • mysqlimport imports data files

  • mysqlshow displays information about databases and tables

  These programs are discussed further in Chapter 7, "MySQL Client and Utility Programs."

• Utility programs that operate independently of the server:

  • myisamchk performs table maintenance operations

  • myisampack produces compressed, read-only tables

  • mysqlbinlog is a tool for processing binary log files

  • perror displays error code meanings

  myisamchk is discussed further in Chapter 4, "Database Administration." The other programs are discussed in Chapter 7, "MySQL Client and Utility Programs."

Most MySQL distributions include all of these programs, except for those programs that are platform-specific. (For example, the server startup scripts are not used on Windows.) The exception is that RPM distributions are more specialized. There is one RPM for the server, another for the client programs, and so forth. If you appear to be missing one or more programs, see Chapter 2, "Installing MySQL," for information on types of distributions and what they contain. It may be that you need to install something else.