How to Install MariaDB on Debian 11 Bullseye

MariaDB is an open-source and multi-threaded database management system. It will organize and provide access to databases where your site can store information. It is a replacement of MySQL and developed by some of the original developers of the MySQL. With the release of Debian 11, MySQL was replaced with MariaDB as the default database system. In this tutorial we will show you how to install MariaDB on Debian 11 Bullseye.

How to Install MariaDB on Debian 11#

In this tutorial you will learn step by step how to install MariaDB on a Debian 11 server:

Prerequisites#

At first, you need Debian 11 server with a non-root sudo enabled user account.

Step 1 – Installing MariaDB#

By default, MariaDB version 11.0.0 is included on Debian 11 in the APT package repositories.

First of all, update the package index on your server with apt.

sudo apt update

After that, install MariaDB server and client packages by by typing :

sudo apt install mariadb-server

It will start automatically MariaDB service.

Step 2 – Verify MariaDB#

Run below command to check MariaDB service status:

sudo systemctl status mariadb

It will show output as following :

● mariadb.service - MariaDB 11.0.0 database server
 Loaded: loaded (/lib/systemd/system/mariadb.service; enabled; vendor preset: enabled)
 Active: active (running) since Fri 2023-01-20 03:05:11 UTC; 4min ago
     Docs: man:mysqld(8)
         https://mariadb.com/kb/en/library/systemd/
...

Step 3 – Securing MariaDB#

You can increase security of MariaDB installation by running the included security script. This will remove less secure default options such as root remote login and remove sample users.

Run the below command :

sudo mysql_secure_installation

At first, it will prompt you to enter current root user password. Next, it will ask you weather you want to change or set password for root. Press N and hit Enter key. After that it will prompt series of questions, press Y and hit Enter to accept the defaults for all the subsequent questions.

This will remove some anonymous users and the test database, disable remote root logins, and load these new rules so that MariaDB immediately respects the changes you have made.

Step 4 – Connect to MariaDB from the command line#

You can also connect MariaDB server through the terminal as the root account by typing:

mysql -u root -p

You will be prompted to enter the root password. Enter root user password which you set at securing step.

Once you will enter correct password it will show MariaDB shell.

Welcome to the MariaDB monitor.  Commands end with ; or \g.
Your MariaDB connection id is 18
Server version: 11.00.0-MariaDB MariaDB Server

Copyright (c) 2000, 2018, Oracle, MariaDB Corporation Ab and others.

Type 'help;' or '\h' for help. Type '\c' to clear the current input statement.

MariaDB [(none)]>

Conclusion#

You learned how to install and secure MariaDB on a Debian 11 server.

If you have any question or suggestion, leave comment below.