Connection fails with mysql using GoLang

Question

I am trying to connect the MySql DB using Go Language and gives me following error.

sql: unknown driver "mysql" (forgotten import?)

My Code

package main

    import (
        "database/sql"
        "fmt"
    )

func main() {
    db, err := sql.Open("mysql", "astaxie:astaxie@/test?charset=utf8")
    checkErr(err);
    err=db.Ping();
}

Also when I import

        _ "github.com/go-sql-driver/mysql"

I am getting error of

imported and not used

Answer 1

For others coming to this page as a result of the error sql: unknown driver "mysql" (forgotten import?), the database/sql package must be used in conjunction with a database driver. That means in addition to importing the database/sql package, you need to import a database driver.

For example, for mysql, you could use the package go-sql-driver. Typically, you import this package using the underscore _ notation, meaning it is imported for its side effects only:

import _ "github.com/go-sql-driver/mysql"

You can read more about this and find a list of SQL drivers below:

• https://golang.org/pkg/database/sql/
• https://github.com/golang/go/wiki/SQLDrivers

Answer 2

Try it again, but look for my NOTEs:

package main

import (
    "database/sql"

    _ "github.com/go-sql-driver/mysql"
)
// NOTE - I removed the import for "fmt" because it was unused.

func main() {
    db, err := sql.Open("mysql", "astaxie:astaxie@/test?charset=utf8")
    checkErr(err);
    err=db.Ping();
    // NOTE - the above line will trigger an error because err is unused.
}

I added the import for the MySQL driver and removed "fmt" because it was unused. This may be the cause of your "imported and not used" error.