What are the MySQL Utilities?

It is a package of utilities that are used for maintenance and administration of MySQL servers. These utilities encapsulate a set of primitive commands, and bundles them so they can be used to perform macro operations with a single command. They can be installed via MySQL Workbench, or as a standalone package.

The utilities are written in Python, available under the GPLv2 license, and are extendable using the supplied library. They are designed to work with Python 2.x greater than 2.6.

How do we access the MySQL Utilities?

There are two ways to access the utilities from within the MySQL Workbench. Either use Plugins, Start Shell for MySQL Utilities from the main Workbench toolbar, or click the MySQL Utilities icon from the main Workbench page. Both methods will open a terminal/shell window, and list the available commands.

Figure 13.1. Starting MySQL Utilities from Workbench

You can launch any of the utilities listed by typing the name of the command. To find out what options are available, use the option, or read the appropriate manual page.