How to Install MariaDB on Debian 11: A Step-by-Step Tutorial

Debian 11, codenamed “Bullseye,” is the latest stable release of the widely used Debian Linux distribution. If you’re running Debian 11 and need to set up MariaDB, an open-source, community-developed relational database management system, this step-by-step tutorial will guide you through the installation process.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have the following:

A Debian 11 system with root or sudo access.
An SSH client to connect to your server.
A stable internet connection.

Step 1: Update Your System

Start by updating your Debian 11 system to ensure you have the latest security patches and software. Open a terminal and run the following commands:

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade

This command will refresh your system’s package repository and upgrade installed packages.

Step 2: Install MariaDB

Debian 11 includes MariaDB in its default repositories, simplifying the installation process. Use the following command to install MariaDB:

sudo apt install mariadb-server

During the installation, you’ll be prompted to confirm the package installation. Type ‘y’ and press Enter.

Step 3: Start and Enable MariaDB

After installation, start the MariaDB service and enable it to start at boot with the following commands:

sudo systemctl start mariadb
sudo systemctl enable mariadb

You can verify that MariaDB is running with this command:

sudo systemctl status mariadb

Step 4: Secure Your MariaDB Installation

MariaDB comes with a script that helps you secure your database installation. Run the following command:

sudo mysql_secure_installation

You’ll be prompted to set a root password, remove anonymous users, disallow root login remotely, and remove the test database. Follow the prompts and answer ‘Y’ or ‘N’ as needed.

Step 5: Log In to MariaDB

Now that your MariaDB installation is secure, you can log in to the database server using the following command:

sudo mysql -u root -p

Enter the root password you set during the installation when prompted.

Step 6: Create a New Database and User

To create a new database and user, follow these steps:

Log in to MariaDB as the root user.
Create a new database (replace mydatabase with your preferred name):
```
CREATE DATABASE mydatabase;
```

Create a new user and grant privileges (replace myuser and mypassword with your desired username and password):

CREATE USER 'myuser'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'mypassword';
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON mydatabase.* TO 'myuser'@'localhost';
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;

Exit the MariaDB prompt:
```
exit;
```

Step 7: Test Your MariaDB Installation

You can test your new database and user by logging in with the created credentials:

mysql -u myuser -p

Enter the password when prompted, and you should now have access to the database you created.

Conclusion

You’ve successfully installed MariaDB on your Debian 11 system, secured the installation, and created a new database and user. MariaDB is a powerful and reliable database system that can serve as the foundation for various web applications and services. You are now ready to build and manage your databases with MariaDB on Debian 11.