Install MariaDB on Ubuntu

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Introduction

This Quickstart guide explains how to install MariaDB on a Vultr Ubuntu cloud server. The guide applies to Ubuntu 16.04 through Ubuntu 20.10 LTS. MariaDB is a drop-in replacement for MySQL.

1. Deploy Ubuntu Server

Deploy a new Ubuntu Vultr cloud server instance.
Follow our best practices guides:
- Create a sudo user.
- Update the Ubuntu server.

Change to your sudo user for the remaining steps.

2. Install MariaDB

Install MariaDB, a drop-in replacement for MySQL.

$ sudo apt install mariadb-server mariadb-client -y

Enable MariaDB to start on boot.

$ sudo systemctl enable mariadb.service

Secure the database. Answer all the security questions as shown.
```
$ sudo mysql_secure_installation
```
- Initially, there is no password for root. Press ENTER.
```
Enter current password for root (enter for none):
```
- Press ENTER to enter a new password.
```
Set root password? [Y/n]
```
- Enter and confirm a root password for MariaDB.
```
New password:

Re-enter new password:

Password updated successfully!
```
- Press ENTER to remove the anonymous user.
```
Remove anonymous users? [Y/n]
```
- Press ENTER to disallow remote root logins.
```
Disallow root login remotely? [Y/n]
```
- Press ENTER to remove the test database.
```
Remove test database and access to it? [Y/n]
```
- Press ENTER to reload the privilege tables.
```
Reload privilege tables now? [Y/n]
```
This completes the basic security configuration.

3. Test

Connect to the database as root.
```
# mysql -u root -p -h localhost
```

Create a test user.

> CREATE USER 'test_user'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'test_pass';

Create a test database.
```
> CREATE DATABASE test_database;
```

Grant the test user privileges on the test database.

> GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON test_database.* TO 'test_user'@'localhost';

Exit the database client.
```
> quit
```

Conclusion

You have successfully installed MariaDB on a Vultr Ubuntu cloud server. For more information, see the official MariaDB documentation.

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