
Getting Started with Python and MySQL: A Complete Beginner’s Guide
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Python is one of the most popular programming languages, and MySQL is one of the most widely used relational databases. When combined, they allow you to build robust, data-driven applications.
In this tutorial, you'll learn:
-
How to connect Python to a MySQL database
-
How to install the required connector
-
How to create databases and tables
-
How to insert, retrieve, and manage data
-
A complete working example
-
Tips and common pitfalls
Prerequisites
Before you start, make sure you have:
✅ Python installed
✅ MySQL server installed and running
✅ Basic understanding of SQL (not mandatory)
Step 1: Install MySQL Connector for Python
To connect to MySQL, we use the mysql-connector-python
package.
Install with PIP:
pip install mysql-connector-python
If you're using a virtual environment, activate it first.
Step 2: Connect to MySQL Database
import mysql.connector
# Establish connection
db = mysql.connector.connect(
host="localhost",
user="your_username",
password="your_password"
)
# Print success message
print("Connected to MySQL!")
✅ Replace
your_username
andyour_password
with your MySQL credentials.
Step 3: Create a Database
cursor = db.cursor()
cursor.execute("CREATE DATABASE mydatabase")
print("Database created!")
Step 4: Connect to Your Database
db = mysql.connector.connect(
host="localhost",
user="your_username",
password="your_password",
database="mydatabase"
)
Step 5: Create a Table
cursor = db.cursor()
cursor.execute("""
CREATE TABLE users (
id INT AUTO_INCREMENT PRIMARY KEY,
name VARCHAR(255),
email VARCHAR(255)
)
""")
print("Table created successfully.")
Step 6: Insert Data into Table
sql = "INSERT INTO users (name, email) VALUES (%s, %s)"
values = ("Alice", "[email protected]")
cursor.execute(sql, values)
db.commit()
print(cursor.rowcount, "record inserted.")
Step 7: Retrieve Data from Table
cursor.execute("SELECT * FROM users")
results = cursor.fetchall()
for row in results:
print(row)
Step 8: Update & Delete Records
Update:
sql = "UPDATE users SET email = %s WHERE name = %s"
values = ("[email protected]", "Alice")
cursor.execute(sql, values)
db.commit()
Delete:
sql = "DELETE FROM users WHERE name = %s"
values = ("Alice",)
cursor.execute(sql, values)
db.commit()
✅ Complete Working Example
import mysql.connector
# Connect to MySQL and database
db = mysql.connector.connect(
host="localhost",
user="your_username",
password="your_password",
database="mydatabase"
)
cursor = db.cursor()
# Create table if it doesn't exist
cursor.execute("""
CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS users (
id INT AUTO_INCREMENT PRIMARY KEY,
name VARCHAR(255),
email VARCHAR(255)
)
""")
# Insert data
sql = "INSERT INTO users (name, email) VALUES (%s, %s)"
users = [("John", "[email protected]"), ("Jane", "[email protected]")]
cursor.executemany(sql, users)
db.commit()
# Read data
cursor.execute("SELECT * FROM users")
for row in cursor.fetchall():
print(row)
# Update data
cursor.execute("UPDATE users SET email = '[email protected]' WHERE name = 'Jane'")
db.commit()
# Delete data
cursor.execute("DELETE FROM users WHERE name = 'John'")
db.commit()
⚠️ Common Pitfalls
Mistake | Problem | Solution |
---|---|---|
Wrong credentials | Access denied | Double-check username/password |
Forgetting .commit() |
Data not saved | Always call db.commit() after insert/update/delete |
Using %s incorrectly |
Syntax errors | Use tuple with comma: ("value",) |
Missing database param |
Can't find tables | Add database="your_db" in connect() |
Tips for Using Python with MySQL
-
✅ Always use prepared statements (
%s
) to prevent SQL injection. -
✅ Use
cursor.fetchall()
orcursor.fetchone()
to read results. -
✅ Close the connection with
db.close()
when done. -
✅ Use
try-except
blocks for better error handling.
Example:
try:
db = mysql.connector.connect(...)
cursor = db.cursor()
cursor.execute("SELECT * FROM users")
for row in cursor.fetchall():
print(row)
except mysql.connector.Error as err:
print("Error:", err)
finally:
db.close()
Summary Table
Task | Function |
---|---|
Install connector | pip install mysql-connector-python |
Connect to DB | mysql.connector.connect() |
Create table | cursor.execute("CREATE TABLE ...") |
Insert data | cursor.execute("INSERT ...") + db.commit() |
Fetch data | cursor.fetchall() |
Update/Delete | cursor.execute(...) + db.commit() |
Final Thoughts
Integrating MySQL with Python is a powerful skill that unlocks endless possibilities — from web apps to data analytics. This tutorial gave you a hands-on introduction to connecting, querying, and manipulating MySQL databases using Python.
Tips and Tricks
What is pass in Python?
Python | Pass Statement
The pass statement is used as a placeholder for future code. It represents a null operation in Python. It is generally used for the purpose of filling up empty blocks of code which may execute during runtime but has yet to be written.
def myfunction():
pass
How can you generate random numbers?
Python | Generate random numbers
Python provides a module called random using which we can generate random numbers. e.g: print(random.random())
We have to import a random module and call the random() method as shown below:
import random
print(random.random())
The random() method generates float values lying between 0 and 1 randomly.
To generate customized random numbers between specified ranges, we can use the randrange() method
Syntax: randrange(beginning, end, step)
import random
print(random.randrange(5,100,2))
What is lambda in Python?
Python | Lambda function
A lambda function is a small anonymous function. This function can have any number of parameters but, can have just one statement.
Syntex:
lambda arguments : expression
a = lambda x,y : x+y
print(a(5, 6))
It also provides a nice way to write closures. With that power, you can do things like this.
def adder(x):
return lambda y: x + y
add5 = adder(5)
add5(1) #6
As you can see from the snippet of Python, the function adder takes in an argument x and returns an anonymous function, or lambda, that takes another argument y. That anonymous function allows you to create functions from functions. This is a simple example, but it should convey the power lambdas and closures have.
What is swapcase() function in the Python?
Python | swapcase() Function
It is a string's function that converts all uppercase characters into lowercase and vice versa. It automatically ignores all the non-alphabetic characters.
string = "IT IS IN LOWERCASE."
print(string.swapcase())
How to remove whitespaces from a string in Python?
Python | strip() Function | Remove whitespaces from a string
To remove the whitespaces and trailing spaces from the string, Python provides a strip([str]) built-in function. This function returns a copy of the string after removing whitespaces if present. Otherwise returns the original string.
string = " Python "
print(string.strip())
What is the usage of enumerate() function in Python?
Python | enumerate() Function
The enumerate() function is used to iterate through the sequence and retrieve the index position and its corresponding value at the same time.
lst = ["A","B","C"]
print (list(enumerate(lst)))
#[(0, 'A'), (1, 'B'), (2, 'C')]
Can you explain the filter(), map(), and reduce() functions?
Python | filter(), map(), and reduce() Functions
- filter() function accepts two arguments, a function and an iterable, where each element of the iterable is filtered through the function to test if the item is accepted or not.
>>> set(filter(lambda x:x>4, range(7))) # {5, 6}
-
map() function calls the specified function for each item of an iterable and returns a list of result
>>> set(map(lambda x:x**3, range(7))) # {0, 1, 64, 8, 216, 27, 125}
-
reduce() function reduces a sequence pair-wise, repeatedly until we arrive at a single value..
>>> reduce(lambda x,y:y-x, [1,2,3,4,5]) # 3
Let’s understand this:
2-1=1
3-1=2
4-2=2
5-2=3Hence, 3.
What is a namedtuple?
Python | namedtuple
A namedtuple will let us access a tuple’s elements using a name/label. We use the function namedtuple() for this, and import it from collections.
>>> from collections import namedtuple
#format
>>> result=namedtuple('result','Physics Chemistry Maths')
#declaring the tuple
>>> Chris=result(Physics=86,Chemistry=92,Maths=80)
>>> Chris.Chemistry
# 92
Write a code to add the values of same keys in two different dictionaries and return a new dictionary.
We can use the Counter method from the collections module
from collections import Counter
dict1 = {'a': 5, 'b': 3, 'c': 2}
dict2 = {'a': 2, 'b': 4, 'c': 3}
new_dict = Counter(dict1) + Counter(dict2)
print(new_dict)
# Print: Counter({'a': 7, 'b': 7, 'c': 5})
Python In-place swapping of two numbers
Python | In-place swapping of two numbers
>>> a, b = 10, 20
>>> print(a, b)
10 20
>>> a, b = b, a
>>> print(a, b)
20 10
Reversing a String in Python
Python | Reversing a String
>>> x = 'PythonWorld'
>>> print(x[: : -1])
dlroWnohtyP
Python join all items of a list to convert into a single string
Python | Join all items of a list to convert into a single string
>>> x = ["Python", "Online", "Training"]
>>> print(" ".join(x))
Python Online Training
python return multiple values from functions
Python | Return multiple values from functions
>>> def A():
return 2, 3, 4
>>> a, b, c = A()
>>> print(a, b, c)
2 3 4
Python Print String N times
Python | Print String N times
>>> s = 'Python'
>>> n = 5
>>> print(s * n)
PythonPythonPythonPythonPython
Python check the memory usage of an object
Python | Check the memory usage of an object
>>> import sys
>>> x = 100
>>> print(sys.getsizeof(x))
28