Install mysql client NOT server on Centos7

Question

I am trying to just install a mysql client on a centos 7 server.

I have a remote mysql server I need to connect to, I do not want to install the mysql server.

From Centos 7 it will default to mariadb which is fine

[root@server ~]# cat /etc/centos-release
CentOS Linux release 7.7.1908 (Core)
[root@server ~]# yum install mysql
Loaded plugins: fastestmirror
Loading mirror speeds from cached hostfile
 * base: mirror.umd.edu
 * epel: mirror.math.princeton.edu
 * extras: mirror.atlanticmetro.net
 * updates: packages.oit.ncsu.edu
Resolving Dependencies
--> Running transaction check
---> Package mariadb.x86_64 1:5.5.64-1.el7 will be installed
--> Processing Dependency: mariadb-libs(x86-64) = 1:5.5.64-1.el7 for package: 1:mariadb-5.5.64-1.el7.x86_64
--> Running transaction check
---> Package mariadb-libs.x86_64 1:5.5.64-1.el7 will be installed
--> Finished Dependency Resolution

Dependencies Resolved

=============================================================================================================================================================================================================================================
 Package                                                     Arch                                                  Version                                                         Repository                                           Size
=============================================================================================================================================================================================================================================
Installing:
 mariadb                                                     x86_64                                                1:5.5.64-1.el7                                                  base                                                8.7 M
Installing for dependencies:
 mariadb-libs                                                x86_64                                                1:5.5.64-1.el7                                                  base                                                759 k

Transaction Summary
=============================================================================================================================================================================================================================================
Install  1 Package (+1 Dependent package)

Total download size: 9.5 M
Installed size: 53 M
Is this ok [y/d/N]: y
Downloading packages:
(1/2): mariadb-libs-5.5.64-1.el7.x86_64.rpm                                                                                                                                                                           | 759 kB  00:00:00
(2/2): mariadb-5.5.64-1.el7.x86_64.rpm                                                                                                                                                                                | 8.7 MB  00:00:03
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total                                                                                                                                                                                                        2.4 MB/s | 9.5 MB  00:00:03
Running transaction check
Running transaction test
Transaction test succeeded
Running transaction
  Installing : 1:mariadb-libs-5.5.64-1.el7.x86_64                                                                                                                                                                                        1/2
  Installing : 1:mariadb-5.5.64-1.el7.x86_64                                                                                                                                                                                             2/2
  Verifying  : 1:mariadb-libs-5.5.64-1.el7.x86_64                                                                                                                                                                                        1/2
  Verifying  : 1:mariadb-5.5.64-1.el7.x86_64                                                                                                                                                                                             2/2

Installed:
  mariadb.x86_64 1:5.5.64-1.el7

Dependency Installed:
  mariadb-libs.x86_64 1:5.5.64-1.el7

Complete!

When I try to run mysql I get

[root@server ~]# mysql
ERROR 2002 (HY000): Can't connect to local MySQL server through socket '/var/lib/mysql/mysql.sock' (2)

I cannot figure out how to start it

[root@server ~]# systemctl start mysql
Failed to start mysql.service: Unit not found.
[root@server ~]# systemctl start mysqld
Failed to start mysqld.service: Unit not found.
[root@server ~]# systemctl start mariadb
Failed to start mariadb.service: Unit not found.
[root@server ~]#

Solution

Your mysql client is currently trying to connect to a server running on the local machine (which doesn't exist).

You need to specify, on the command line, the connection string (including user, hostname, port etc) for the server you are trying to connect to.

$ mysql --help provides a full list of CLI options. The ones you need to look at in particular are:

• -D / --database

• -h / --host

• -u / --user

• -P / --port