How to Set Up MySQL to Autostart on macOS: A Step-by-Step Guide for Developers

As developers, we often find ourselves working with MySQL databases on our local machines. While starting MySQL manually each time we boot up our system is manageable, it can be a tedious task. In this guide, we'll walk through the process of setting up MySQL to start automatically on macOS, saving you time and streamlining your workflow.

Prerequisites

Before we begin, ensure you have:

1. MySQL installed on your macOS system
2. Administrative access to your machine

The Problem

If you've installed MySQL on macOS, you might have encountered issues starting it using the typical mysql.server start command. You may have seen errors like:

zsh: command not found: mysql.server

Or when trying to connect:

ERROR 2002 (HY000): Can't connect to local MySQL server through socket '/tmp/mysql.sock' (2)

These issues often arise because the MySQL commands aren't in your system's PATH, or the MySQL server isn't running.

The Solution

The solution involves two parts:

1. Using the full path to start MySQL manually
2. Setting up MySQL to start automatically on system boot

Part 1: Starting MySQL Manually

To start MySQL manually, you can use the full path to the mysql.server script:

sudo /usr/local/mysql/support-files/mysql.server start

To stop MySQL:

sudo /usr/local/mysql/support-files/mysql.server stop

Part 2: Autostarting MySQL

To make MySQL start automatically when your system boots, we'll create a launch agent. Here's how:

1. Create a launch agent plist file:

sudo nano /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.mysql.mysql.plist

1. Add the following content to the file:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

<plist version="1.0">
  <dict>
    <key>Label</key>
    <string>com.mysql.mysql</string>
    <key>ProgramArguments</key>
    <array>
      <string>/usr/local/mysql/support-files/mysql.server</string>
      <string>start</string>
    </array>
    <key>RunAtLoad</key>
    <true></true>
  </dict>
</plist>

1. Save the file and exit the editor (in nano, press Ctrl X, then Y, then Enter).

2. Set the correct permissions for the plist file:
   

sudo chown root:wheel /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.mysql.mysql.plist
sudo chmod 644 /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.mysql.mysql.plist

1. Load the launch agent:

sudo launchctl load /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.mysql.mysql.plist

How It Works

The launch agent we created tells macOS to run the MySQL start script when the system boots. Here's a breakdown of the plist file:

• Label: A unique identifier for the launch agent
• ProgramArguments: The command to run (in this case, the MySQL start script)
• RunAtLoad: Tells macOS to run this at system startup

Troubleshooting

If you encounter issues:

1. Check that the paths in the plist file match your MySQL installation location
2. Ensure you have the necessary permissions to start MySQL
3. Check the MySQL error log (usually located at /usr/local/mysql/data/[hostname].err) for any startup errors

Conclusion

By following this guide, you've now set up MySQL to start automatically on your macOS system. This setup will save you time and ensure your database is always ready when you need it. Remember, you can still manually start and stop MySQL using the full path commands if needed.

Happy coding!

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