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Database Connection in Python

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.