The canonical command is mysql -u USER -p -e "SHOW DATABASES;". Replace USER with the MySQL account name; the client prompts for its password, executes the statement, prints the databases visible to that account, and exits. Add -h HOST for a remote server or -P PORT when the server listens on a nondefault port.
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If you prefer to work at the MySQL prompt, run mysql -u USER -p, then enter SHOW DATABASES;. SHOW SCHEMAS; is an equivalent spelling. The separate mysqlshow utility can also list database names when you do not provide a database argument.
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The fastest noninteractive command
Use the MySQL client’s -e (or --execute) option when you want one command from a shell instead of an interactive session:
mysql -u USER -p -e "SHOW DATABASES;"The complete SQL statement is passed as one shell argument. The semicolon terminates the SQL statement, while the surrounding double quotes keep the spaces and punctuation together for the shell. After connecting, the client executes the statement and exits.
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What each part means
mysqlstarts the command-line client.-u USERselects the MySQL account used for authentication.-ptells the client to prompt for that account’s password.-eor--executeruns the following SQL without opening amysql>prompt.SHOW DATABASES;asks the server for the database names visible to the connected account.
Use the prompt form of -p rather than placing a password directly in the command line. A prompt keeps the secret out of the command text you have to paste, save, or put into shell history. The command still requires valid credentials and a reachable MySQL server.
Connecting to another host
Specify a server name or address with -h:
mysql -u USER -p -h HOST -e "SHOW DATABASES;"If the server uses a port other than the connection’s default, add -P with the numeric port:
mysql -u USER -p -h HOST -P PORT -e "SHOW DATABASES;"Keep the host and port options in the same command as the account and SQL statement. This avoids accidentally listing databases on a local server when you intended to inspect a remote instance.
Listing databases in an interactive session
Start the client without -e when you expect to run several statements:
mysql -u USER -pAfter authentication, the client displays a mysql> prompt. Enter:
SHOW DATABASES;Press Enter to execute it. The semicolon is the statement terminator; omitting it leaves the client waiting for the rest of the statement. When you are finished, leave the client with exit or quit.
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The equivalent SCHEMAS spelling
MySQL treats SHOW SCHEMAS; as a synonym for SHOW DATABASES;:
mysql> SHOW SCHEMAS;Both forms request the same database-name list and obey the same account privileges. Choose one spelling and use it consistently in scripts and documentation so operators know what to expect.
Choosing between the command-line methods
| Method | Best for | Connection options | Filtering and scripting | Privilege behavior |
|---|---|---|---|---|
mysql -e "SHOW DATABASES;" |
A single check from a shell, deployment step, or script | Accepts -u, -p, -h, and -P |
SQL can be changed or redirected by the surrounding shell; the client exits after execution | Shows only databases the account is allowed to see |
Interactive mysql |
Exploration followed by additional SQL statements | Uses the same client connection options | Run SHOW DATABASES; and other statements at the mysql> prompt |
Uses the same server-side visibility rules |
mysqlshow |
A purpose-built name listing without entering the SQL prompt | Accepts account, password, host, and other client connection options | With no database argument, it lists database names; it is less expressive than writing a filtered SQL statement | Lists only names for which the account has privileges |
SHOW SCHEMAS; |
Teams that use “schema” terminology | Runs through the interactive client or -e |
Equivalent SQL syntax to SHOW DATABASES; |
Exactly the same visibility as SHOW DATABASES; |
Using mysqlshow as an alternative utility
The standalone mysqlshow program can list names without opening an interactive SQL prompt. Invoke it without a database argument:
mysqlshow -u USER -p -h HOSTThe utility’s defining behavior is simple: when no database is supplied, a list of database names is shown. Add the host option only when the target is remote; omit it for the local server. The account must still authenticate, and the result is limited to database names for which that account has privileges.
Use mysqlshow when a name-only utility fits an operational check. Use mysql -e when you need SQL filtering, the synonym form, or a command that can be extended with other SQL in the same automation pattern.
Filtering the list
For a prefix or other simple pattern, attach a LIKE clause to the SHOW DATABASES statement:
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mysql -u USER -p -e "SHOW DATABASES LIKE 'app%';"In this example, the percent sign represents any sequence of characters, so only names beginning with app are requested. The quote marks around app% are SQL string delimiters; the outer double quotes keep the entire SQL statement together for the shell.
More general conditions with WHERE
The SQL reference also permits a WHERE expression for broader filtering. For example, the same prefix test can be written as:
mysql -u USER -p -e "SHOW DATABASES WHERE `Database` LIKE 'app%';"Use LIKE directly when a pattern is all you need. Use WHERE when the condition must be combined with other expressions supported by the statement. Keep shell quoting intact: changing the outer quotes or embedding unescaped shell-sensitive characters can alter what the MySQL client receives.
Why you may not see every database
A successful command does not necessarily reveal every database on the server. MySQL normally returns only databases on which the connected account has some privilege. The list is therefore account-specific, not a universal inventory.
Account privileges control visibility
If one account sees fewer names than another, compare their grants before assuming that databases are missing. An account with privileges on an individual database can see that database, while an account without any privilege there normally cannot. This behavior applies whether you use SHOW DATABASES;, SHOW SCHEMAS;, mysql -e, or mysqlshow.
The SHOW DATABASES privilege
The global SHOW DATABASES privilege permits broader visibility. An administrator can grant that privilege when an account needs to discover databases beyond the ones on which it already has object-level access. Granting it changes what the account can enumerate; it does not by itself grant permission to read or modify the data in those databases.
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The –skip-show-database server setting
If the server was started with --skip-show-database, the SHOW DATABASES statement cannot be used unless the account has the SHOW DATABASES privilege. In that configuration, a user may receive an error instead of a partial list. The setting is server-wide, so changing clients or replacing SHOW DATABASES with its SHOW SCHEMAS synonym does not bypass it.
Troubleshooting by symptom
The shell says mysql is not found
The MySQL client executable is not available through the current shell’s command search path. Install or expose the client package appropriate to your operating system, then reopen the shell or update its path before retrying. This is a client-side issue; changing the SQL statement will not fix it.
The command asks for a password, then fails
Check that USER is the intended MySQL account and that the password belongs to that account on the target host. If the server is remote, verify HOST; if it uses a custom listener, verify PORT. A command aimed at the wrong host can authenticate successfully yet show an unexpected database list.
The statement returns fewer names than expected
First determine which account authenticated. Then check whether that account has privileges on the databases it cannot see and whether the server uses --skip-show-database. If broad enumeration is required, the account needs the global SHOW DATABASES privilege; otherwise the limited result is normal behavior.
SHOW DATABASES is rejected
Confirm that the statement is terminated with a semicolon in an interactive session and that the SQL is quoted as one argument when using -e. If the server has --skip-show-database, the account must have the global SHOW DATABASES privilege for the statement to work.
A filter returns nothing
Test the unfiltered command first to distinguish a pattern problem from a permissions problem. Then check the pattern’s spelling, its SQL quotes, and the wildcard. For a prefix search, app% matches names that start with app; a pattern that does not match any visible name produces no matching rows even though the connection is healthy.
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Shell quoting and repeatable commands
Put the complete SQL statement after -e inside one pair of shell quotes. This matters as soon as the statement contains spaces, SQL string literals, wildcard characters, or a WHERE expression. The shell processes its own quoting before the MySQL client receives the argument.
For a one-time inventory, run the command directly and read the client output. For automation, keep the SQL text explicit and pass the same connection options every time. A noninteractive command has a clear boundary: connect, execute one statement, print the result, and exit. That makes it suitable for a scheduled check or a deployment script that only needs the visible database names.
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Do not silently substitute a different account to obtain a longer list. The returned names describe the privileges of the credentials used by that command. If an automated job needs broader visibility, arrange the appropriate account privilege deliberately rather than masking the difference with a different client utility.
Practical command patterns
Local server, all visible databases
mysql -u report_user -p -e "SHOW DATABASES;"This is the standard local, noninteractive form. The account is prompted for its password, and the result contains only the databases visible to report_user.
Remote server on a custom port
mysql -u report_user -p -h db.example.net -P 3307 -e "SHOW DATABASES;"The host and port identify the remote MySQL endpoint. Keep both options when reproducing the check so that a later run does not accidentally fall back to a local or default-port connection.
Interactive investigation
mysql -u report_user -p -h db.example.netAt the prompt, run:
SHOW DATABASES;
SHOW DATABASES LIKE 'app%';This approach is useful when the unfiltered list is only the first question and you intend to issue additional SQL before leaving the client.
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mysqlshow -u report_user -p -h db.example.netBecause no database argument is supplied, mysqlshow requests a database-name list. Its output remains privilege-scoped, just like the SQL statement.
A safe decision checklist
- Decide whether you need one command or a conversation with the server. Choose
-efor one statement; choose the interactive client for multiple statements. - Identify the target endpoint. Add
-h HOSTfor a remote server and-P PORTfor a nondefault port. - Use the intended MySQL account and let
-pprompt for its password. - Start with unfiltered
SHOW DATABASES;unless you already know the pattern you need. - If the result is incomplete, investigate account privileges and the server’s
--skip-show-databasesetting before changing clients. - For a name-only utility call, use
mysqlshowwithout a database argument.
Key limitations to remember
- Listing names is not the same as granting access to the databases or their data.
- A partial list can be the correct result for a restricted account.
SHOW SCHEMAS;does not provide a privilege workaround; it is only an equivalent spelling.mysqlshowdoes not reveal names hidden by the account’s privileges.- The
-eoption executes SQL and exits, so use the interactive client when you need to continue working atmysql>.
For the usual command-line question, start with mysql -u USER -p -e "SHOW DATABASES;". Add the host and port only when the connection requires them, use LIKE or WHERE for a narrower result, and treat the returned names as the visibility granted to that specific account.
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