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Vultr profile image Sanskriti Harmukh
Sanskriti Harmukh for Vultr

Posted on • Originally published at docs.vultr.com

Installing MySQL on Ubuntu 26.04

#database #mysql #ubuntu #linux

Ubuntu 26.04 includes MySQL 8.4 in its default APT repository with no third-party sources required. This guide covers installation, service configuration, security hardening with mysql_secure_installation, and creating a database with a scoped user ready for application use.

Install MySQL

MySQL 8.4 is available directly from Ubuntu 26.04's default APT repository.

1. Update the APT package index:

$ sudo apt update
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2. Install the MySQL server package:

$ sudo apt install mysql-server -y
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3. Verify the installed version:

$ mysql --version
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Manage the MySQL Service

Enable MySQL as a systemd service so it starts automatically on every boot.

1. Enable and start the service:

$ sudo systemctl enable mysql
$ sudo systemctl start mysql
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2. Check the service status:

$ sudo systemctl status mysql
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3. Stop or restart the service when needed:

$ sudo systemctl stop mysql
$ sudo systemctl restart mysql
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Secure MySQL

The mysql_secure_installation script removes default configuration risks including anonymous users, remote root login, and the test database.

1. Run the security script:

$ sudo mysql_secure_installation
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2. Open the MySQL configuration file:

$ sudo nano /etc/mysql/mysql.conf.d/mysqld.cnf
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Add the following line under [mysqld]:

mysql_native_password=ON
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3. Restart MySQL to apply the change:

$ sudo systemctl restart mysql
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4. Set the root password in the MySQL shell:

$ sudo mysql
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mysql> ALTER USER 'root'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED WITH mysql_native_password BY 'your_strong_password';
mysql> FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
mysql> EXIT;
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Create a Database and User

Log in as root and create a dedicated database with a user scoped to that database only.

$ mysql -u root -p
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mysql> CREATE DATABASE myapp_db;
mysql> CREATE USER 'myapp_user'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'user_password';
mysql> GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON myapp_db.* TO 'myapp_user'@'localhost';
mysql> FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
mysql> EXIT;
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Create a Sample Table

Log in as the new user to verify database access and permissions.

$ mysql -u myapp_user -p myapp_db
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mysql> CREATE TABLE services (
    id INT AUTO_INCREMENT PRIMARY KEY,
    name VARCHAR(100),
    status VARCHAR(50)
);
mysql> INSERT INTO services (name, status) VALUES
    ('web', 'active'),
    ('db', 'active'),
    ('cache', 'idle');
mysql> SELECT * FROM services;
mysql> EXIT;
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All three rows in the query output confirm the database, user, and table are working correctly.

Next Steps

MySQL is now installed and accepting connections. From here you can:

  • Integrate MySQL with an Apache and PHP stack to serve dynamic web applications
  • Configure replication for read scaling and high availability
  • Automate backups with mysqldump or Percona XtraBackup

For the full guide with additional tips, visit the original article on Vultr Docs.

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