Getting Started with MySQL in Node.js: A Comprehensive Guide

This guide provides an overview of how to use MySQL in a Node.js application. It covers essential concepts, setup procedures, and basic syntax needed for beginners to effectively interact with a MySQL database.

Key Concepts

• MySQL: A popular relational database management system used to store and retrieve data.
• Node.js: A JavaScript runtime built on Chrome's V8 JavaScript engine that allows you to run JavaScript on the server side.

Setting Up MySQL with Node.js

1. Install MySQL: Ensure that MySQL is installed on your machine.

Install MySQL Node.js Driver: Use npm (Node Package Manager) to install the MySQL driver:

npm install mysql

Basic Syntax

Connecting to MySQL Database

To connect to a MySQL database, you'll need to create a connection using the MySQL driver:

const mysql = require('mysql');

const connection = mysql.createConnection({
  host: 'localhost',
  user: 'yourUsername',
  password: 'yourPassword',
  database: 'yourDatabase'
});

connection.connect((err) => {
  if (err) throw err;
  console.log('Connected to MySQL database!');
});

Querying the Database

Once connected, you can perform various SQL operations like SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, and DELETE.

Example: SELECT Query

To fetch data from a table:

connection.query('SELECT * FROM yourTable', (err, results) => {
  if (err) throw err;
  console.log(results);
});

Example: INSERT Query

To insert data into a table:

const newRecord = { name: 'John', age: 30 };

connection.query('INSERT INTO yourTable SET ?', newRecord, (err, result) => {
  if (err) throw err;
  console.log('Record inserted:', result.insertId);
});

Closing the Connection

Always make sure to close the connection to the database when done:

connection.end((err) => {
  if (err) throw err;
  console.log('Connection closed.');
});

Conclusion

By following the steps outlined in this guide, beginners can easily connect to a MySQL database using Node.js and perform basic CRUD operations. This foundational knowledge sets the stage for developing more complex applications that require database interaction.