DATABASE CONNECTIVITY
The Python standard for database interfaces is the Python DB-API. Most
Python database interfaces adhere to this standard.
You can choose the right database for your application. Python Database API
supports a wide range of database servers such as −
GadFly
mSQL
MySQL
PostgreSQL
Microsoft SQL Server 2000
Informix
Interbase
Oracle
Sybase
Here is the list of available Python database interfaces: Python Database
Interfaces and APIs. You must download a separate DB API module for each
database you need to access. For example, if you need to access an Oracle
database as well as a MySQL database, you must download both the Oracle
and the MySQL database modules.
The DB API provides a minimal standard for working with databases using
Python structures and syntax wherever possible. This API includes the
following −
Importing the API module.
Acquiring a connection with the database.
Issuing SQL statements and stored procedures.
Closing the connection
We would learn all the concepts using MySQL, so let us talk about MySQLdb
module.
What is MySQLdb?
MySQLdb is an interface for connecting to a MySQL database server from
Python. It implements the Python Database API v2.0 and is built on top of the
MySQL C API.
How do I Install MySQLdb?
Before proceeding, you make sure you have MySQLdb installed on your
machine. Just type the following in your Python script and execute it −
#!/usr/bin/python
import MySQLdb
If it produces the following result, then it means MySQLdb module is not
installed −
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "test.py", line 3, in <module>
import MySQLdb
ImportError: No module named MySQLdb
To install MySQLdb module, use the following command −
For Ubuntu, use the following command -
$ sudo apt-get install python-pip python-dev libmysqlclient-dev
For Fedora, use the following command -
$ sudo dnf install python python-devel mysql-devel redhat-rpm-config gcc
For Python command prompt, use the following command -
pip install MySQL-python
Note − Make sure you have root privilege to install above module.
Database Connection
Before connecting to a MySQL database, make sure of the followings −
You have created a database TESTDB.
You have created a table EMPLOYEE in TESTDB.
This table has fields FIRST_NAME, LAST_NAME, AGE, SEX and
INCOME.
User ID "testuser" and password "test123" are set to access TESTDB.
Python module MySQLdb is installed properly on your machine.
You have gone through MySQL tutorial to understand MySQL Basics.
Example
Following is the example of connecting with MySQL database "TESTDB"
#!/usr/bin/python
import MySQLdb
# Open database connection
db = MySQLdb.connect("localhost","testuser","test123","TESTDB" )
# prepare a cursor object using cursor() method
cursor = db.cursor()
# execute SQL query using execute() method.
cursor.execute("SELECT VERSION()")
# Fetch a single row using fetchone() method.
data = cursor.fetchone()
print "Database version : %s " % data
# disconnect from server
db.close()
While running this script, it is producing the following result in my Linux
machine.
Database version : 5.0.45
If a connection is established with the datasource, then a Connection Object is
returned and saved into db for further use, otherwise db is set to None.
Next, db object is used to create a cursor object, which in turn is used to
execute SQL queries. Finally, before coming out, it ensures that database
connection is closed and resources are released.
Creating Database Table
Once a database connection is established, we are ready to create tables or
records into the database tables using execute method of the created cursor.
Example
Let us create Database table EMPLOYEE −
#!/usr/bin/python
import MySQLdb
# Open database connection
db = MySQLdb.connect("localhost","testuser","test123","TESTDB" )
# prepare a cursor object using cursor() method
cursor = db.cursor()
# Drop table if it already exist using execute() method.
cursor.execute("DROP TABLE IF EXISTS EMPLOYEE")
# Create table as per requirement
sql = """CREATE TABLE EMPLOYEE (
FIRST_NAME CHAR(20) NOT NULL,
LAST_NAME CHAR(20),
AGE INT,
SEX CHAR(1),
INCOME FLOAT )"""
cursor.execute(sql)
# disconnect from server
db.close()
