$ Linux Command

Databases

mysqladmin

MySQL/MariaDB administration tool.

mysqlmariadbdatabaseadminquery

Additional Notes

mysqladmin is an administrative tool for MySQL and MariaDB servers. It performs operations such as creating or dropping databases, checking server status, flushing tables, reloading permissions, and shutting down the server.

It connects to the MySQL server over the network and executes administrative SQL commands. It is useful for both interactive administration and scripting automated database maintenance tasks.

Syntax

mysqladmin [options] command [command-options]

Parameters

  • command: The administrative operation to perform.

Common Options

  • -u user, --user=user: MySQL user to connect as.
  • -p, --password: Prompt for a password. Can also specify -ppassword (no space).
  • -h host, --host=host: Connect to the MySQL server on the specified host.
  • -P port, --port=port: Port number (default 3306).
  • -S socket, --socket=socket: Unix socket file path.
  • -r, --relative: Show relative (delta) values for extended status.
  • -i seconds, --sleep=seconds: Repeat the command at intervals.
  • -c count, --count=count: Number of times to repeat the command.
  • -v, --verbose: Verbose output.

Commands

  • create dbname: Create a new database.
  • drop dbname: Delete a database (and all its tables).
  • status: Show short server status.
  • extended-status: Show full server status variables.
  • variables: Show server system variables.
  • processlist: Show current server threads/connections.
  • kill id[,id...]: Kill a connection thread.
  • password newpass: Change the user's password.
  • ping: Check if the server is alive.
  • reload: Reload authorization tables (flush privileges).
  • refresh: Flush all tables and close log files.
  • flush-privileges: Reload the grant tables.
  • flush-tables: Flush all tables.
  • flush-logs: Flush all log files.
  • flush-hosts: Flush the host cache.
  • shutdown: Shut down the MySQL server.
  • version: Show server version info.
  • start-slave: Start replication slave.
  • stop-slave: Stop replication slave.

Examples

mysqladmin -u root -p status

Check the server status.

mysqladmin -u root -p create myapp

Create a new database called myapp.

mysqladmin -u root -p ping

Check if the MySQL server is running.

mysqladmin -u root -p extended-status

Show all server status variables.

mysqladmin -u root -p processlist

Show active connections.

mysqladmin -u root -p kill 123 456

Kill connection threads with IDs 123 and 456.

mysqladmin -u root -p shutdown

Shut down the MySQL server.

mysqladmin -u root -p -i 5 extended-status | grep Threads_connected

Monitor Threads_connected every 5 seconds.

Practical Notes

  • Always use a password with -p; storing passwords in scripts is a security risk. Use ~/.my.cnf with restricted permissions instead.
  • The processlist command frequently shows Sleep connections that may be idle connection pools.
  • Run mysqladmin -u root -p flush-hosts if you see Host '...' is blocked errors (too many connection errors).
  • For MariaDB-specific features, mariadb-admin is the equivalent command.