Manual:MySQL

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MediaWiki database layout

MySQL

The MySQL database engine is the most commonly-used database backend for MediaWiki. Since it is the relational database management system used by the Wikimedia Foundation wiki farm in its own websites, it is well-supported in MediaWiki.

Connecting to MySQL mysql

mysql -u <wikiuser> -p

then enter your password, then,

 USE <wikidb>

Example

aaron@escargot ~ $ mysql -u wikiuser -p
Enter password:
Welcome to the MySQL monitor.  Commands end with ; or \g.
Your MySQL connection id is 816 to server version: 4.0.20

Type 'help;' or '\h' for help. Type '\c' to clear the buffer.

mysql> USE wikidb
Reading table information for completion of table and column names
You can turn off this feature to get a quicker startup with -A

Database changed
mysql>

Installation

Further information: Manual:Installing_MediaWiki#Create_a_database

Basically, if MySQL is installed, the installation script can create a database for you. Just supply the script with your mysql root password (by default blank).

Warning:

Leaving the MySQL root password blank can seriously compromise the security of the MediaWiki installation. You should modify the password if you haven't already.

Note: If you are installing MediaWiki on an ISP server, you might have to share a db with some other applications, which increases the size of a conflict between database tables required by MediaWiki with pre-existing tables. If your ISP allows, use different databases or different database users for each application that resides on the server.

Maintenance

Multiple maintenance scripts are included in the /maintenance/ directory of your MediaWiki installation. Some of these scripts are provided to refresh parts of the database as one-time operations.

Import database

Further information: Manual:Importing XML dumps

Export database

Further information: Manual:Backing up a wiki

External links

• http://dev.mysql.com/doc/mysql/en/index.html

Databases	Engines: MySQL – PostgreSQL – SQLite – IBM DB2 Technical documentation: Schema (tables) – Access