How to create and delete a database using MySQL

Logging in

The first thing you need to do is to log in to your database. Normally you either have a local version of MySQL or you have to SSH into your web server.

When you're in the MySQL command line, you're ready to proceed to the next step.

Creating a database

Using commands to create a new database is actually very simple. Just write the following command and hit enter:

$ create database NAMEOFTHEDATABASE;

You can call it whatever you want. Let's just quickly check that the database was created.

$ show databases;

If you run the code above, you'll see a list of databases. Hopefully, the one you created should be in there somewhere.

Deleting a database

Sometimes you need to delete a database. Write the following command (be really sure that you know what you are doing):

$ drop database NAMEOFTHEDATABASE;

And that's it. The database is gone and there's no way of getting it back (as long as you don't have a backup).