MySQL Connection Strings

MySQL is an open-source relational database management system (RDBMS) that’s widely used by developers worldwide. It’s known for its scalability, high performance, and ease of use. One of the most important aspects of using MySQL is establishing a connection to the database, which is done through a connection string.

A MySQL connection string is a string of parameters used to establish a connection to a MySQL database. These parameters include the server’s name, the name of the database to connect to, the username and password for authentication, and other optional settings.

Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced developer, understanding MySQL connection strings is essential for working with MySQL databases effectively.

If you still need to create a database, check out our article on how to create and delete MySQL databases and users.

• Configuration of MySQL Connection Strings
• Connection String Examples
• Summary

Configuration of MySQL Connection Strings

Once you have a database setup, create the tables via phpMyAdmin, MySQL software or use an online PHP or Perl script.

Use the following configuration settings:

• Version: MySQL 8.0
• Username: cpUsername_dbUserName
• Database Name: cpUsername_dbName
• Password: The password for cpUsername_dbUsername
• Host address: localhost
• Port: 3306

Connection String Examples

The connection string can be either of the two examples below (be sure to replace the variables in red with your actual information):

For Perl:

$dbh = DBI->connect("DBI:mysql:cpUsername_dbName:localhost","cpUsername_dbUsername","password");

For PHP:

$dbh=mysql_connect ("localhost", "cpUsername_dbUsername", "password")
or die ('I cannot connect to the database.');
mysql_select_db ("cpUsername_dbName");

Take Note: If you’re using PHP version 8.1 and above, replace the mysql_connect with mysqli_connect for more information on how to work with phpMyAdmin. Please visit phpMyAdmin.net.

Summary

MySQL is a popular open-source RDBMS that’s widely used by developers worldwide. Understanding MySQL connection strings is essential for working with MySQL databases effectively. Once you have a database set up, you can create the database’s tables via phpMyAdmin, MySQL software, or an online PHP or Perl script. MySQL connection strings contain parameters such as server name, database name, username and password for authentication, and other optional settings. You can use the provided configuration settings and connection string examples to establish a connection to a MySQL database.