How to Connect to the MySQL Database? Print

In order for your MySQL database to work as intended, it will need a script calling or querying the database for the information it stores. In order to do this, you must connect your script to the database with a configuration file.

If you are not sure where your configuration file is, check at the bottom of this KB for the list of different scripts and their location in filesystem:

Database driven scripts, such as Wordpress, WHMCS and Joomla, will generally have a default configuration file ready for you to edit with the appropriate information. Below you will find examples of what this access information will look like:

Host Name = localhost (input localhost)
Database Name = cpanelUsername_databaseName
Database Username = cpanelUsername_databaseUsername
Database Password = yourSelectedPassword

// ** MySQL Settings ** //
/** The name of the database for WordPress */
define('DB_NAME', 'janedoe_wrdp1');

/** MySQL database username */
define('DB_USER', 'janedoe_wp1');

/** MySQL database password */
define('DB_PASSWORD', 'cfgrt5%vb');

/** MySQL hostname */
define('DB_HOST', 'localhost');

To connect to the MySQL server remotely

Allowing remote MySQL connections is often done to enable a program on your personal computer to access a database on the server.

Tips and Tricks for Moving Databases

• When you move databases to our servers, the database name and username may change. This change must be updated in your script code. (The database name and username is clearly displayed in cPanel, in the MySQL area)

• On Shared servers, the database username cannot be changed to something without the cPanel username in it. This is to keep database names and usernames from conflicting with others on the server.