f you have that same problem in MySql 5.7.+ : Access denied for user 'root' @ 'localhost' it's because MySql 5.7 by default allow to connect with socket, which means you just connect with sudo mysql . If you run sql : SELECT user , authentication_string , plugin , host FROM mysql . user ; then you will see it : + ------------------+-------------------------------------------+-----------------------+-----------+ | user | authentication_string | plugin | host | + ------------------+-------------------------------------------+-----------------------+-----------+ | root | | auth_socket | localhost | | mysql . session | * THISISNOTAVALIDPASSWORDTHATCANBEUSEDHERE | mysql_native_password | localhost | | mysql . sys | * THISISNOTAVALIDPASSWORDTHATCANBEUSEDHERE | mysql_native_password | localhost | | debian-sys-ma...