Mac install and open mysql using terminal

Question

I downloaded the mysql dmg file and went through the wizard to run. Done. I have also started mysql server under system preferences.

The purpose of me doing this is to w

Answer 1

(Updated for 2017)

When you installed MySQL it generated a password for the root user. You can connect using

/usr/local/mysql/bin/mysql -u root -p

and type in the generated password.

Previously, the root user in MySQL used to not have a password and could only connect from localhost. So you would connect using

/usr/local/mysql/bin/mysql -u root