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 -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: 5.5.20

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.

If you are installing MediaWiki on an ISP server, you might have to share a db with some other applications, which increases the risk of a conflict between database tables required by MediaWiki with pre-existing tables. To solve this problem you can instruct MediaWiki to use a table prefix, so that all tables of MediaWiki begin with this prefix. Alternatively, if your ISP allows, use different databases 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 – Oracle – PostgreSQL – SQLite – IBM DB2 Technical documentation: Schema (tables) – Access