Setting Up MySQL Accounts

An account is identified by the account name and the name of the computer allowed to access MySQL using this account. When you create a new account, you specify it as accountname@hostname. You can specify a password when you create an account or you can add a password later. You can set up permissions when you create an account or add permissions later. All the account information is stored in a database named mysql that is automatically created when MySQL is installed. To add a new account or change any account information, you must use an account that has the proper permissions on the mysql database.
You need at least one account to access the MySQL server. When MySQL is installed, it automatically sets up some accounts, including an account called root that has all permissions. If you have MySQL access through a company Web site or a Web hosting company, the MySQL administrator for the company should give you the account; the account is probably not named root, and it might or might not have all permissions.
In the rest of this section, I describe how to add and delete accounts and change passwords and permissions for accounts. If you have an account that you received from your company IT department or from a Web hosting company, you might receive an error when you try to send any or some of the GRANT or REVOKE queries described. If your account is restricted from performing any of the necessary queries, you need to request an account with more permissions or ask the MySQL administrator to add a new account or make the changes you need.