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As one of the most popular relational database management systems, MYSQL gets a lot of use from a variety of applications. With the popularity of Python in web-based applications, it's essential that MySQL and Python can communicate with one another. Read on to learn more about MySQL and to discover three ways to integrate it with Python.

What Is MySQL?

MySQL is a relational database management system based on SQL or Structured Query Language. This application is utilized for a wide range of purposes, from data warehousing to eCommerce to logging applications. Overall, MySQL is the world’s most popular DBMS or Database Management System as it is relatively easy to set up and manage. MySQL is especially useful when dealing with websites and online transactions and is the go-to database for the user looking for something easy to set up and manage. 

Related Reading: PostgreSQL vs MySQL: The Critical Differences

The following are some common characteristics of MySQL:

  • Open Source 
  • Maintained by Oracle 
  • Stable and Reliable 
  • Tried and True 

Check out more about MySQL below. 

Notable MySQL Users  

  • Facebook
  • Google 
  • GitHub
  • NASA
  • Netflix 
  • Spotify 
  • Tesla 
  • Twitter
  • Uber
  • Wikipedia 
  • YouTube

MySQL OS Compatibility 

  • Windows
  • macOS
  • Linux
  • Oracle Solaris 
  • Fedora 
  • FreeBSD
  • Open Source Build 

MySQL Supported Languages 

  • C/C++
  • Delphi
  • Erland
  • Go
  • Java
  • Lisp
  • Node.js
  • Perl
  • PHP
  • R

While MySQL is utilized by many notable companies, is compatible with a variety of operating systems, and supports a number of programming languages, MySQL does not support Python. However, you can implement a MySQL Python Connector to utilize the Python programming language with MySQL.

Related Reading: Firebase vs. MySQL: Battle of the Databases

What Is Python?

Being able to connect MySQL with Python is very beneficial as Python is a popular computer programming language often used to build websites, build software, automate tasks and conduct data analysis. 

Overall, Python is among the favorite computer programming language for data science, machine learning, and big data. It is also highly favored for its highly readable syntax and overall ease of use. Check out more about connecting MySQL with Python below.

How to Integrate MySQL With Python 

So while MySQL doesn’t support Python on its own, there are a few ways that users can integrate MySQL with Python. Read on to learn more about these common integration methods, including MySQL Connector Python, PyMySQL, and MySQLDB.

MySQL Connector Python 

Steps to connect to the MySQL database using the MySQL Connector in Python: 

  • Install MySQL connector module 
  • Import MySQL connector module 
  • Use the connect () method 
  • Use the cursor () method 
  • Use the execute () method 
  • Extract result using fetchall ()
  • Close cursor and connection objects

PyMySQL

Steps to connect to the MySQL database using PyMySQL in Python: 

  • Host where the database server is located 
  • Username to log in as 
  • Password to use 
  • Database to use 
  • MySQL port use, default is okay to use 

MySQLDB

Steps to connect to the MySQL database using MySQLDB in Python: 

  • Install pip mysqlclient 
  • Import pymysql as MySQLdb 
  • Open database connection 
  • Prepare a cursor object using cursor()
  • Execute SQL query using execute ()
  • Fetch a single row using fetchone ()
  • Disconnect from server

Related Reading: 10 Best ETL Tools for MySQL Data Warehouses and Databases

The Integrate.io Python Wrapper 

The Integrate.io platform also allows users to integrate MySQL with Python as the platform allows for the use of Python in ETL workflows through the Integrate.io Python wrapper. Essentially, the Integrate.io Python wrapper is an artifact that allows users to access the Integrate.io Rest API within a Python program. Overall, Integrate.io does the heavy lifting when it comes to ETL while also allowing users to build their own Python scripts to customize pipelines as necessary.

To use the Integrate.io Python Wrapper, you will need to create an Integrate.io Client object and call its methods to access the Integrate.io API. Ultimately, to use the Integrate.io Python Wrapper, you should be aware of the following Integrate.io Client methods. 

  • Installation 
    • Via pip: pip install Integrate.io 
  • Create an Integrate.io client object 
    • Pass your account ID and API key to the Integrate.io Client constructor 
  • Create a cluster 
    • You have to provide an active cluster when starting a new job and save the cluster-ID value returned in the response “id” field. In subsequent API calls, you will use the value to refer to this cluster.
  • List all clusters 
    • You can use this information to monitor and display all your clusters and their statuses. 
  • Get cluster information 
    • This method returns the details of the cluster with the given ID.
  • Terminate a cluster 
    • This method deactivates the given cluster, releases its resources, and terminates its run period.
  • Run a job 
    • This method creates a new job and triggers it to run.
  • List all jobs 
    • This method returns information for all the jobs that have been created under your account.
  • Get job information 
    • This method retrieves information for a job according to the given job ID.
  • Terminate a job 
    • This method terminates an active job which you may want to do if the job is taking too long to complete or you need its cluster resources for a more urgent job.
  • List all packages 
    • This method returns the list of packages that were created by users in your account.
  • Get package information 
    • This method returns the details of the package with the given ID. 
  • Contributing 
    • Fork it
    • Create your feature branch 
    • Commit your changes 
    • Push to the branch 
    • Create a new Pull Request 

Related Reading: The Top Python ETL Tools

Integrate.io and MySQL

The Integrate.io platform can also read data from your MySQL databases and write data to them. Before you can begin the process, you must first provide Integrate.io access to your MySQL database. Once you have allowed Integrate.io access to your MySQL database, take the following steps to connect with Integrate.io.

  • Click the Connections icon (lightning bolt) on the top left menu.
  • To create a connection, click new connection
  • Choose MySQL and name the connection.
  • Select your access type (direct connection if you've whitelisted Integrate.io's IP addresses.)
  • Enter your MySQL database hostname or IP address.
  • Enter the database name.
  • Enter the username
  • Enter the user's password.
  • Click Test Connection to make sure the connection details are correct.
  • Click Create connection to create the connection.

Ultimately, there are a variety of ways to integrate MySQL with Python, but the easiest and most efficient way is through utilizing the Integrate.io platform.

How Integrate.io Can Help

If you’re looking for tools that will seamlessly integrate with MySQL, look no further than Integrate.io. Integrate.io is an ETL, ELT, and data integration platform that will provide you with a full toolkit to support all your integration and pipeline building needs. 

Are you ready to discover more about the many benefits the Integrate.io platform can provide to your company? Contact our team today to schedule a 7-day demo or pilot and see how we can help you reach your goals.