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How to Install MySQL Database Server on Ubuntu 26.04

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Introduction

MySQL is a free, open-source relational database management system that stores and organizes data in structured tables with rows and columns. Many web applications, content management systems like WordPress, and e-commerce platforms use MySQL as their backend database. The database server supports ACID (Atomicity, Consistency, Isolation, Durability) compliance, transactions, and replication, making it suitable for both small projects and large-scale enterprise applications.

This guide teaches you how to install MySQL on Ubuntu 26.04.

Prerequisites

Before you start:

Install MySQL Server

The MySQL package is available by default on the Ubuntu repositories. To install the package, follow these steps.

  • Refresh your system's package list to ensure you get the latest available versions.

    console
    $ sudo apt update

  • Install the MySQL server package and the required dependencies.

    console
    $ sudo apt install -y mysql-server

    Output:

    Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
Reading state information... Done
The following additional packages will be installed:
  libaio1 libcgi-fast-perl libcgi-pm-perl libencode-locale-perl libevent-core-2.1-7
  libfcgi-bin libfcgi-perl libfcgi0ldbl libhtml-parser-perl libhtml-tagset-perl
  libhttp-date-perl libhttp-message-perl libio-html-perl liblwp-mediatypes-perl
  libmysqlclient24 libtimedate-perl liburi-perl mysql-client-9.0 mysql-client-core-9.0
  mysql-common mysql-server-9.0 mysql-server-core-9.0
Suggested packages:
  libipc-sharedcache-perl mailx tinyca
The following NEW packages will be installed:
  libaio1 libcgi-fast-perl libcgi-pm-perl libencode-locale-perl libevent-core-2.1-7
  libfcgi-bin libfcgi-perl libfcgi0ldbl libhtml-parser-perl libhtml-tagset-perl
  libhttp-date-perl libhttp-message-perl libio-html-perl liblwp-mediatypes-perl
  libmysqlclient24 libtimedate-perl liburi-perl mysql-client-9.0 mysql-client-core-9.0
  mysql-common mysql-server mysql-server-9.0 mysql-server-core-9.0
0 upgraded, 23 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 27.5 MB of archives.
After this operation, 163 MB of additional disk space will be used.

  • Verify the MySQL version.

    console
    $ mysql --version

    Output:

    mysql  Ver 8.4.8-0ubuntu1 for Linux on x86_64 ((Ubuntu))

Run MySQL Secure Installation

MySQL includes a security script that helps you set a root password and remove insecure default settings. Run this script after the initial install to secure your database server.

  • Execute the MySQL secure installation script.

    console
    $ sudo mysql_secure_installation

  • Respond with the following values.

    Would you like to setup VALIDATE PASSWORD component? 

Press y|Y for Yes, any other key for No: Y  

Please enter 0 = LOW, 1 = MEDIUM and 2 = STRONG: 2  

Remove anonymous users? (Press y|Y for Yes, any other key for No): Y  

Disallow root login remotely? (Press y|Y for Yes, any other key for No): Y  

Remove test database and access to it? (Press y|Y for Yes, any other key for No): Y  

Reload privilege tables now? (Press y|Y for Yes, any other key for No): Y

    Output

    All done!

Manage MySQL Service

MySQL runs as a system service on Ubuntu under the name mysql. You can manage this service using specific commands to start, stop, restart, and check the MySQL status. These commands ensure your MySQL server runs smoothly and make maintenance easier on your system.

Check MySQL Service Status

console
$ sudo systemctl status mysql

Output:

● mysql.service - MySQL Community Server
     Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/system/mysql.service; enabled; preset: enabled)
     Active: active (running) since Sun 2026-04-26 10:20:30 UTC; 7min ago
 Invocation: 9ee1b20041d9460fbc36b9adaa96cf84
    Process: 34469 ExecStartPre=/usr/share/mysql/mysql-systemd-start pre (code=exited, status=0/SUCCESS)
   Main PID: 34479 (mysqld)
     Status: "Server is operational"
      Tasks: 36 (limit: 417)
     Memory: 259.4M (peak: 481.6M, swap: 273.5M, swap peak: 273.5M)
        CPU: 5.355s
     CGroup: /system.slice/mysql.service
             └─34479 /usr/sbin/mysqld

Press Ctrl + C to return to the console.

Enable MySQL to Start on Boot

console
$ sudo systemctl enable mysql

Output:

Synchronizing state of mysql.service with SysV service script with /usr/lib/systemd/systemd-sysv-install.
Executing: /usr/lib/systemd/systemd-sysv-install enable mysql

Start MySQL Service

console
$ sudo systemctl start mysql

Stop MySQL Service

console
$ sudo systemctl stop mysql

Restart MySQL Service

console
$ sudo systemctl restart mysql

Test the MySQL Database Server

In this section, you'll test the MySQL server by creating a sample database and table, inserting some data, and querying the table to ensure everything functions correctly.

  • Log in to MySQL with the root user account.

    console
    $ sudo mysql -u root -p

  • Press Enter when MySQL prompts you for a password because you've not set any password.

    Output:

    Enter password: 
Welcome to the MySQL monitor.  Commands end with ; or \g.
Your MySQL connection id is 15
Server version: 9.0.1-1ubuntu1 (Ubuntu)

mysql>

  • Create a new company_db database.

    MySQL
    mysql> CREATE DATABASE company_db;

    Output:

    Query OK, 1 row affected (0.01 sec)

  • List all databases and ensure your new company_db database appears in the list.

    MySQL
    mysql> SHOW DATABASES;

    Output:

    +--------------------+
| Database           |
+--------------------+
| company_db         |
| information_schema |
| mysql              |
| performance_schema |
| sys                |
+--------------------+
5 rows in set (0.00 sec)

  • Switch to the new company_db database.

    MySQL
    mysql> USE company_db;

    Output:

    Database changed

  • Create a sample employees table.

    MySQL
    mysql> CREATE TABLE employees (
    employee_id INT AUTO_INCREMENT PRIMARY KEY,
    full_name VARCHAR(100),
    email VARCHAR(255)
);

    Output:

    Query OK, 0 rows affected (0.03 sec)

  • Populate the employees table with sample records.

    MySQL
    mysql> INSERT INTO employees(full_name, email) 
VALUES 
    ('MARY ROE', 'mary_roe@example.com'),
    ('JAY SMITH', 'jay_smith@example.com'),
    ('ANNA KIM', 'anna_kim@example.com');

    Output:

    Query OK, 3 rows affected (0.01 sec)
Records: 3  Duplicates: 0  Warnings: 0

  • Query the employees table to verify the records.

    MySQL
    mysql> SELECT
    employee_id,
    full_name,
    email
FROM employees;

    Output:

    MySQL
    +-------------+-----------+-----------------------+
| employee_id | full_name | email                 |
+-------------+-----------+-----------------------+
|           1 | MARY ROE  | mary_roe@example.com  |
|           2 | JAY SMITH | jay_smith@example.com |
|           3 | ANNA KIM  | anna_kim@example.com  |
+-------------+-----------+-----------------------+
3 rows in set (0.00 sec)

  • Exit from the MySQL prompt.

    MySQL
    mysql> EXIT;

    Output:

    Bye

Your MySQL database server is working as expected.

Conclusion

In this guide, you have installed MySQL on Ubuntu 26.04 using apt, secured the database server with the mysql_secure_installation script, and created a sample database with tables and records. Now that you have MySQL running, consider integrating the database with a web application using PHP with PDO or connect it with Python using the mysql-connector-python library to build data-driven applications.

  • Database
  • SQL