How to Install MariaDB on Ubuntu

Introduction

MariaDB is an open-source, fully compatible relational database management system. It is commonly used as a replacement for MySQL due to its fault tolerance, speed, and scalability.

In this tutorial, you will learn how to install the latest version of MariaDB on Ubuntu.

Prerequisites

• Access to the terminal.
• A user account with root privileges.
• The apt package manager, included on Ubuntu by default.

How to Install MariaDB on Ubuntu

Installing MariaDB on Ubuntu is straightforward and can be done with a single command. Since the apt package manager automatically handles dependencies, updates, and security patches, it significantly reduces maintenance overhead.

To install MariaDB from the Ubuntu repository, follow the steps below:

Step 1: Update Package Repository

Update the system package list to ensure you get the latest version available in the repository. Run the command below:

sudo apt update

Step 2: Install MariaDB

Install the MariaDB package by running the following command:

sudo apt install mariadb-server -y

The -y flag automatically answers yes to any prompts during the installation. You can remove the flag if you want to review the prompts.

After installation, the MariaDB service starts automatically.

Step 3: Verify Installation

Verify that the database service is active and running. Run the following command:

sudo systemctl status mariadb

The following image is an example of the expected output:

Step 4: Configure MariaDB

It is recommended to configure your database security levels and access privileges by running the mysql_secure_installation script. Since MariaDB is a popular fork of MySQL, the script applies to it as well. Run the command below and follow the steps outlined in our tutorial to improve your server security:

sudo mysql_secure_installation

The script allows you to configure the root user password and create MariaDB user accounts, among other settings.

Step 4: Create User With Admin Privileges (Optional)

The root MariaDB user authenticates using the unix_socket plugin by default instead of a password. While that provides better security and usability in most cases, it can also create obstructions for some external programs that require administrative rights.

The solution is to create a new account with the same privileges as the root account and configure it to authenticate with a password. Follow the steps below:

1. Open the MariaDB prompt in your terminal:

sudo mariadb

2. Create a new user with root privileges and password-based authentication. Use the syntax below:

GRANT ALL ON *.* TO '[username]'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY '[password]' WITH GRANT OPTION;

Replace [username] and [password] with your choice.

3. Flush the privileges to ensure they are saved:

FLUSH PRIVILEGES;

How to Connect to MariaDB from the Command Line

To connect to MariaDB from the command line, run the command below:

mysql -u root -p

You can also replace root with the user you have created in the previous steps. Provide the password for the specified user, and the following screen appears:

Now, you have access to the MariaDB monitor, allowing you to manage your database.

To exit the monitor and return to the terminal, run:

exit;

or

\q

Conclusion

By following the steps in this article, you have successfully installed MariaDB on your Ubuntu system. Additionally, you improved database security levels by editing the default settings and creating a new user with admin rights.

Next, see how to create users in MariaDB or troubleshoot the "access denied for root@localhost" error.