This lesson covers the different options you have available to you for administering your MySQL service after it is successfully installed. If you already have that base covered feel free to skip on to the next lesson.

mysql command line

If you are an old-school programmer that has no need for a graphical user interface, then you can simply use any command line interface to execute MySQL queries.

Those of you with MySQL installed on your Microsoft Windows operating system can reach the command line by going to the Start Menu and choosing "Run...". Type the keyword "cmd" into the text field and press Enter to launch Window's command line interface.

mysql gui

With so many free MySQL administration tools available, many developers favor these free Graphical User Interfaces over the command line. The most popular options include:

• phpMyAdmin - A popular web interface that is included with almost every type of Shared, Virtual or Dedicated hosting solution.
• MySQL Administrator - A powerful tool developed by the folks at MySQL.com.
• Navicat - A purchasable MySQL admin tool for Windows, Mac and Linux.

mysql phpmyadmin

As previously mentioned, the very popular phpMyAdmin tool should come with your web hosting plan.

mysql administrator

This tool comes from the creators of MySQL, so you can be assured they have a solid understanding of database optimization and stability for power users. There are currently two versions of MySQL Administrator: 1.0 and 1.1. MySQL.com recommends you use 1.1 if your MySQL installation is 4.0, 4.1 or 5.0. Read more about the MySQL Administrator on MySQL.com's web site.