Starting a MySQL container for the first time will automatically create an initial root user. You need to either supply a password for this user or ask MySQL to generate one. Here’s an example of running a basic MySQL container with a specified root password:
Start mysql container for the first
docker run --name mysql -d \
-p 3306:3306 \
-e MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD=change-me \
--restart unless-stopped \
mysql:latest
Access database inside the container
docker exec -it mysql mysql -p
OR
docker exec -it mysql mysql -h 127.0.0.1 -p
Persisting Data With Volumes
MySQL Docker image is configured to store all its data in the /var/lib/mysql directory. Mounting a volume to this directory will enable persistent data storage that outlives any single container instance.
Stop and remove your earlier container to avoid naming conflicts:
docker stop mysql
docker rm mysql
Then start a new container with the revised configuration:
docker run --name mysql -d \
-p 3306:3306 \
-e MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD=change-me \
-v mysql:/var/lib/mysql \
mysql:8
OR
docker run --name mysql -d \
-p 3306:3306 \
-e MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD=change-me \
--restart unless-stopped \
--tmpfs /var/lib/mysql \
mysql:latest
Repeat the steps to stop and remove your container:
docker stop mysql
docker rm mysql