Simple install the package to your [$GOPATH](http://code.google.com/p/go-wiki/wiki/GOPATH "GOPATH") with the [go tool](http://golang.org/cmd/go/ "go command") from shell:
```bash
$ go get github.com/go-sql-driver/mysql
```
Make sure [Git is installed](http://git-scm.com/downloads) on your machine and in your system's `PATH`.
## Usage
_Go MySQL Driver_ is an implementation of Go's `database/sql/driver` interface. You only need to import the driver and can use the full [`database/sql`](http://golang.org/pkg/database/sql) API then.
Use `mysql` as `driverName` and a valid [DSN](#dsn-data-source-name) as `dataSourceName`:
[Examples are available in our Wiki](https://github.com/go-sql-driver/mysql/wiki/Examples "Go-MySQL-Driver Examples").
### DSN (Data Source Name)
The Data Source Name has a common format, like e.g. [PEAR DB](http://pear.php.net/manual/en/package.database.db.intro-dsn.php) uses it, but without type-prefix (optional parts marked by squared brackets):
Alternatively, [Config.FormatDSN](https://godoc.org/github.com/go-sql-driver/mysql#Config.FormatDSN) can be used to create a DSN string by filling a struct.
Passwords can consist of any character. Escaping is **not** necessary.
#### Protocol
See [net.Dial](http://golang.org/pkg/net/#Dial) for more information which networks are available.
In general you should use an Unix domain socket if available and TCP otherwise for best performance.
#### Address
For TCP and UDP networks, addresses have the form `host:port`.
If `host` is a literal IPv6 address, it must be enclosed in square brackets.
The functions [net.JoinHostPort](http://golang.org/pkg/net/#JoinHostPort) and [net.SplitHostPort](http://golang.org/pkg/net/#SplitHostPort) manipulate addresses in this form.
For Unix domain sockets the address is the absolute path to the MySQL-Server-socket, e.g. `/var/run/mysqld/mysqld.sock` or `/tmp/mysql.sock`.
Notice that any of `true`, `TRUE`, `True` or `1` is accepted to stand for a true boolean value. Not surprisingly, false can be specified as any of: `false`, `FALSE`, `False` or `0`.
`allowCleartextPasswords=true` allows using the [cleartext client side plugin](http://dev.mysql.com/doc/en/cleartext-authentication-plugin.html) if required by an account, such as one defined with the [PAM authentication plugin](http://dev.mysql.com/doc/en/pam-authentication-plugin.html). Sending passwords in clear text may be a security problem in some configurations. To avoid problems if there is any possibility that the password would be intercepted, clients should connect to MySQL Server using a method that protects the password. Possibilities include [TLS / SSL](#tls), IPsec, or a private network.
##### `allowNativePasswords`
```
Type: bool
Valid Values: true, false
Default: false
```
`allowNativePasswords=true` allows the usage of the mysql native password method.
`allowOldPasswords=true` allows the usage of the insecure old password method. This should be avoided, but is necessary in some cases. See also [the old_passwords wiki page](https://github.com/go-sql-driver/mysql/wiki/old_passwords).
Sets the charset used for client-server interaction (`"SET NAMES <value>"`). If multiple charsets are set (separated by a comma), the following charset is used if setting the charset failes. This enables for example support for `utf8mb4` ([introduced in MySQL 5.5.3](http://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.5/en/charset-unicode-utf8mb4.html)) with fallback to `utf8` for older servers (`charset=utf8mb4,utf8`).
Usage of the `charset` parameter is discouraged because it issues additional queries to the server.
Unless you need the fallback behavior, please use `collation` instead.
##### `collation`
```
Type: string
Valid Values: <name>
Default: utf8_general_ci
```
Sets the collation used for client-server interaction on connection. In contrast to `charset`, `collation` does not issue additional queries. If the specified collation is unavailable on the target server, the connection will fail.
A list of valid charsets for a server is retrievable with `SHOW COLLATION`.
When `columnsWithAlias` is true, calls to `sql.Rows.Columns()` will return the table alias and the column name separated by a dot. For example:
```
SELECT u.id FROM users as u
```
will return `u.id` instead of just `id` if `columnsWithAlias=true`.
##### `interpolateParams`
```
Type: bool
Valid Values: true, false
Default: false
```
If `interpolateParams` is true, placeholders (`?`) in calls to `db.Query()` and `db.Exec()` are interpolated into a single query string with given parameters. This reduces the number of roundtrips, since the driver has to prepare a statement, execute it with given parameters and close the statement again with `interpolateParams=false`.
*This can not be used together with the multibyte encodings BIG5, CP932, GB2312, GBK or SJIS. These are blacklisted as they may [introduce a SQL injection vulnerability](http://stackoverflow.com/a/12118602/3430118)!*
Sets the location for time.Time values (when using `parseTime=true`). *"Local"* sets the system's location. See [time.LoadLocation](http://golang.org/pkg/time/#LoadLocation) for details.
Note that this sets the location for time.Time values but does not change MySQL's [time_zone setting](https://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.5/en/time-zone-support.html). For that see the [time_zone system variable](#system-variables), which can also be set as a DSN parameter.
Please keep in mind, that param values must be [url.QueryEscape](http://golang.org/pkg/net/url/#QueryEscape)'ed. Alternatively you can manually replace the `/` with `%2F`. For example `US/Pacific` would be `loc=US%2FPacific`.
Max packet size allowed in bytes. Use `maxAllowedPacket=0` to automatically fetch the `max_allowed_packet` variable from server.
##### `multiStatements`
```
Type: bool
Valid Values: true, false
Default: false
```
Allow multiple statements in one query. While this allows batch queries, it also greatly increases the risk of SQL injections. Only the result of the first query is returned, all other results are silently discarded.
When `multiStatements` is used, `?` parameters must only be used in the first statement.
`strict=true` enables a driver-side strict mode in which MySQL warnings are treated as errors. This mode should not be used in production as it may lead to data corruption in certain situations.
A server-side strict mode, which is safe for production use, can be set via the [`sql_mode`](https://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.7/en/sql-mode.html) system variable.
By default MySQL also treats notes as warnings. Use [`sql_notes=false`](http://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.7/en/server-system-variables.html#sysvar_sql_notes) to ignore notes.
*Driver* side connection timeout. The value must be a decimal number with an unit suffix ( *"ms"*, *"s"*, *"m"*, *"h"* ), such as *"30s"*, *"0.5m"* or *"1m30s"*. To set a server side timeout, use the parameter [`wait_timeout`](http://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.6/en/server-system-variables.html#sysvar_wait_timeout).
`tls=true` enables TLS / SSL encrypted connection to the server. Use `skip-verify` if you want to use a self-signed or invalid certificate (server side). Use a custom value registered with [`mysql.RegisterTLSConfig`](http://godoc.org/github.com/go-sql-driver/mysql#RegisterTLSConfig).
Use the default protocol (tcp) and host (localhost:3306):
```
user:password@/dbname
```
No Database preselected:
```
user:password@/
```
### `LOAD DATA LOCAL INFILE` support
For this feature you need direct access to the package. Therefore you must change the import path (no `_`):
```go
import "github.com/go-sql-driver/mysql"
```
Files must be whitelisted by registering them with `mysql.RegisterLocalFile(filepath)` (recommended) or the Whitelist check must be deactivated by using the DSN parameter `allowAllFiles=true` ([*Might be insecure!*](http://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.7/en/load-data-local.html)).
To use a `io.Reader` a handler function must be registered with `mysql.RegisterReaderHandler(name, handler)` which returns a `io.Reader` or `io.ReadCloser`. The Reader is available with the filepath `Reader::<name>` then. Choose different names for different handlers and `DeregisterReaderHandler` when you don't need it anymore.
See the [godoc of Go-MySQL-Driver](http://godoc.org/github.com/go-sql-driver/mysql "golang mysql driver documentation") for details.
### `time.Time` support
The default internal output type of MySQL `DATE` and `DATETIME` values is `[]byte` which allows you to scan the value into a `[]byte`, `string` or `sql.RawBytes` variable in your programm.
However, many want to scan MySQL `DATE` and `DATETIME` values into `time.Time` variables, which is the logical opposite in Go to `DATE` and `DATETIME` in MySQL. You can do that by changing the internal output type from `[]byte` to `time.Time` with the DSN parameter `parseTime=true`. You can set the default [`time.Time` location](http://golang.org/pkg/time/#Location) with the `loc` DSN parameter.
**Caution:** As of Go 1.1, this makes `time.Time` the only variable type you can scan `DATE` and `DATETIME` values into. This breaks for example [`sql.RawBytes` support](https://github.com/go-sql-driver/mysql/wiki/Examples#rawbytes).
Alternatively you can use the [`NullTime`](http://godoc.org/github.com/go-sql-driver/mysql#NullTime) type as the scan destination, which works with both `time.Time` and `string` / `[]byte`.
Since version 1.1 Go-MySQL-Driver automatically uses the collation `utf8_general_ci` by default.
Other collations / charsets can be set using the [`collation`](#collation) DSN parameter.
Version 1.0 of the driver recommended adding `&charset=utf8` (alias for `SET NAMES utf8`) to the DSN to enable proper UTF-8 support. This is not necessary anymore. The [`collation`](#collation) parameter should be preferred to set another collation / charset than the default.
See http://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.7/en/charset-unicode.html for more details on MySQL's Unicode support.
## Testing / Development
To run the driver tests you may need to adjust the configuration. See the [Testing Wiki-Page](https://github.com/go-sql-driver/mysql/wiki/Testing "Testing") for details.
Go-MySQL-Driver is not feature-complete yet. Your help is very appreciated.
If you want to contribute, you can work on an [open issue](https://github.com/go-sql-driver/mysql/issues?state=open) or review a [pull request](https://github.com/go-sql-driver/mysql/pulls).
* You can **use** the **unchanged** source code both in private and commercially
* When distributing, you **must publish** the source code of any **changed files** licensed under the MPL 2.0 under a) the MPL 2.0 itself or b) a compatible license (e.g. GPL 3.0 or Apache License 2.0)
* You **needn't publish** the source code of your library as long as the files licensed under the MPL 2.0 are **unchanged**
Please read the [MPL 2.0 FAQ](http://www.mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/FAQ.html) if you have further questions regarding the license.
You can read the full terms here: [LICENSE](https://raw.github.com/go-sql-driver/mysql/master/LICENSE)
