Fix ‘MySQL command not found’ on Mac

Hitting the "command not found" wall when trying to use MySQL on macOS? You're not alone. Let's tackle the most common reasons and get you back on track.

MySQL Isn't Installed

Before diving into the complexities, let's ensure that MySQL is indeed installed on your machine.

Check:

which mysql

If there's no output, MySQL might not be installed.

Solution:

Install MySQL using Homebrew:

brew install mysql

MySQL isn't in your $PATH

Sometimes MySQL is installed, but the system can't find the binary because it's not in your $PATH.

Check:

echo $PATH

You should see a path related to MySQL, typically /usr/local/mysql/bin for a manual installation or /usr/local/bin for a Homebrew installation.

Solution:

Update your shell configuration file (e.g., .bashrc, .bash_profile, or .zshrc) with:

export PATH="/usr/local/mysql/bin:$PATH"

Or, if you've used Homebrew:

export PATH="/usr/local/bin:$PATH"

Then, source your shell configuration:

source ~/.bashrc

Aliasing Issues

An alias could be pointing to a wrong or non-existent path for MySQL.

Check:

For Bash:

alias | grep mysql

For Zsh:

alias -L | grep mysql

Solution:

If there's a problematic alias, remove or correct it in your shell configuration file. Then, reload your shell config as in the previous step.

Corrupt MySQL Installation

It's possible your MySQL installation got corrupted, or there's some conflict with another package.

Solution:

Uninstall and then reinstall MySQL:

For Homebrew:

brew uninstall mysql
brew install mysql

For a manual installation, consult the MySQL documentation for uninstallation steps, and then reinstall.

Shell Specific Issues

If you switched to a new shell (e.g., from Bash to Zsh), there might be differences in how paths and aliases are set up.

Solution:

Ensure you've updated the correct configuration file for your active shell (.bashrc, .bash_profile, or .zshrc).

Previous MySQL Versions

If you've had multiple versions of MySQL, there might be some path conflicts.

Solution:

For Homebrew users:

brew cleanup

For others, ensure you've removed old MySQL installations and only have the one you intend to use.

Final Thoughts

If you've walked through all these steps and are still encountering issues, it might be a more complex system-specific problem. Consider reaching out to relevant forums or communities with specifics for more tailored help.

Happy querying! 🚀