List all databases on the sql server.

mysql> show databases;

Allow the user “john” to connect to the server from localhost using the password “passwd”.

# mysql -u root -p
mysql> grant usage on database.* to john@localhost identified by ‘passwd’;
mysql> flush privileges;

Change a users password from unix shell.

# /bin/mysqladmin -u username  -p password ‘new-password’

Switch to a database.

mysql> use [db name];

To see all the tables in the db.

mysql> show tables;

To see database’s field formats.

mysql> describe [table name];

To delete a db.

mysql> drop database [database name];

To delete a table.

mysql> drop table [table name];

Recover mysql root password.

# /etc/init.d/mysql stop

# mysqld_safe –skip-grant-tables &
# mysql -u root
mysql> use mysql;
mysql> update user set password=PASSWORD(“newrootpassword”) where User=’root’;
mysql> flush privileges;
mysql> quit
# /etc/init.d/mysql stop
# /etc/init.d/mysql start