Is it possible to run MySQL not as a service

Yes, it is possible to run MySQL without installing it as a service. MySQL can be run as a standalone executable without being registered as a service on your system. This can be particularly useful for development and testing purposes.

To run MySQL as a standalone executable, you can follow these steps:

1. Download MySQL: Download the MySQL Community Server distribution for your operating system from the official MySQL website.

2. Extract Files: Extract the contents of the downloaded archive to a directory of your choice.

3. Configure MySQL: Locate the my.ini or my.cnf configuration file in the extracted directory. You can configure the necessary settings in this file, such as the data directory, port, and other options.

4. Start MySQL: Open a command prompt or terminal and navigate to the MySQL bin directory within the extracted directory. Run the following command to start MySQL:

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   mysqld
   
   

   You may need to provide additional command-line options based on your configuration.

5. Access MySQL: Open a new command prompt or terminal window, navigate to the MySQL bin directory, and run the MySQL client:

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   mysql -u root -p
   
   

   You'll be prompted to enter the MySQL root password.

Please note that running MySQL as a standalone executable is not recommended for production environments. For production use, it's better to install MySQL as a service so that it can be managed more effectively and automatically starts when the system boots.

Keep in mind that the steps above may vary based on the version of MySQL you're using and the specifics of your operating system. Always refer to the official MySQL documentation for accurate and up-to-date instructions.