How to Set or Change the MySQL Root Password on Ubuntu

If you've just installed MariaDB on your Ubuntu system, it’s important to secure the root user by setting a password for it. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to set or change the root password for MySQL/MariaDB:

Step 1: Install MariaDB

Start by installing MariaDB server using the following command:

sudo apt install -y mariadb-server

This will install the MariaDB server and the necessary dependencies.

Step 2: Access MySQL as Root

Next, log in to MySQL as the root user:

sudo mysql -u root

Step 3: Set a New Root Password

Once logged in, you can set or change the root password. Execute the following command:

ALTER USER 'root'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'newpassword';

Ensure the root user has all privileges by running this command:

GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON *.* TO 'root'@'localhost' WITH GRANT OPTION;

This ensures the root user can access and manage all databases and has the option to grant permissions to other users.

Replace 'newpassword' with your desired password.

Step 4: Flush Privileges

To apply the changes, run:

FLUSH PRIVILEGES;

exit;

This ensures that the changes to user privileges take effect immediately.

Step 5: Test the New Password

Finally, test the new root password by logging in again:

sudo mysql -u root -p