How to self-host MySQL in PostgreSQL

How do I self-host MySQL quickly and securely?

Self-hosting MySQL means installing and running the MySQL server on your own hardware or cloud VM, giving you full control over configuration, security, and costs.

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Description

Example H2

Example H3

What is self-hosting MySQL?

Self-hosting MySQL means you install, run, secure, and maintain the MySQL server yourself instead of using a managed cloud service. You choose the OS, hardware, version, and backup strategy.

Why pick self-hosting instead of cloud MySQL?

Teams choose self-hosting to reduce vendor lock-in, control upgrade timing, fine-tune performance, and cut long-term costs once workloads stabilize.

How do I install MySQL with Docker quickly?

Docker provides the fastest repeatable setup. The docker run command pulls the image, maps data, exposes ports, and sets the root password in one step.

Which ports and volumes are required?

Expose 3306 for MySQL traffic and mount /var/lib/mysql to persist data between container restarts.

How do I initialize an ecommerce schema?

After the server starts, connect with Galaxy or the MySQL CLI and run CREATE DATABASE ecommerce; followed by table DDL for Customers, Orders, Products, and OrderItems.

How can I secure a self-hosted MySQL instance?

Change the root password, create least-privileged users, disable remote root login, require TLS, and keep the operating system patched.

How do I connect Galaxy to the new server?

Open the Galaxy connection dialog, choose MySQL, enter host, port 3306, database ecommerce, and the application user’s credentials. Test and save.

What are ongoing maintenance tasks?

Schedule regular backups, rotate logs, monitor slow queries, and apply minor version upgrades after testing in staging.

What are common pitfalls when self-hosting?

Skipping backups and ignoring security updates are the two biggest risks. Automate both to avoid data loss and breaches.

Why How to self-host MySQL in PostgreSQL is important

How to self-host MySQL in PostgreSQL Example Usage


-- Total revenue per product in 2024
SELECT p.name, SUM(oi.quantity * p.price) AS revenue
FROM OrderItems oi
JOIN Orders o  ON o.id = oi.order_id
JOIN Products p ON p.id = oi.product_id
WHERE o.order_date BETWEEN '2024-01-01' AND '2024-12-31'
GROUP BY p.name
ORDER BY revenue DESC;

How to self-host MySQL in PostgreSQL Syntax


# Docker one-liner

docker run \
  --name mysql-local \
  -e MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD=Str0ngPass! \
  -e MYSQL_DATABASE=ecommerce \
  -e MYSQL_USER=app_user \
  -e MYSQL_PASSWORD=AppPass123 \
  -p 3306:3306 \
  -v /opt/mysql-data:/var/lib/mysql \
  mysql:8.1

# Example DDL inside MySQL CLI

CREATE TABLE Customers (
  id INT PRIMARY KEY AUTO_INCREMENT,
  name VARCHAR(100),
  email VARCHAR(255) UNIQUE,
  created_at DATETIME DEFAULT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP
);

CREATE TABLE Products (
  id INT PRIMARY KEY AUTO_INCREMENT,
  name VARCHAR(120),
  price DECIMAL(10,2),
  stock INT
);

CREATE TABLE Orders (
  id INT PRIMARY KEY AUTO_INCREMENT,
  customer_id INT,
  order_date DATE,
  total_amount DECIMAL(10,2),
  FOREIGN KEY (customer_id) REFERENCES Customers(id)
);

CREATE TABLE OrderItems (
  id INT PRIMARY KEY AUTO_INCREMENT,
  order_id INT,
  product_id INT,
  quantity INT,
  FOREIGN KEY (order_id) REFERENCES Orders(id),
  FOREIGN KEY (product_id) REFERENCES Products(id)
);

Common Mistakes

Mistake: Using the default "root" user for applications. Why it’s wrong: Root has full privileges, increasing blast radius. Fix: Create least-privileged users with only the necessary GRANTS.
Mistake: Storing data only inside the container. Why it’s wrong: Data disappears when the container is removed. Fix: Mount a host volume such as /opt/mysql-data to /var/lib/mysql.