How to connect to MySQL Database?

Question

New to C# programming, I'd like to be able to access MySQL Databases.

I know MySQL connector/NET and MySQL for Visual Studio are required for C# development.
Do I need to install them into my app?
Is it possible I can just release the connector DLL with the program?

Update:
Are both of them required for the end-user or just the connector?
Is there anything else they would need?

Answer 1

Install Oracle's MySql.Data NuGet package.

using MySql.Data; using MySql.Data.MySqlClient;  namespace Data {     public class DBConnection     {         private DBConnection()         {         }          public string Server { get; set; }         public string DatabaseName { get; set; }         public string UserName { get; set; }         public string Password { get; set; }          private MySqlConnection Connection { get; set;}          private static DBConnection _instance = null;         public static DBConnection Instance()         {             if (_instance == null)                 _instance = new DBConnection();            return _instance;         }              public bool IsConnect()         {             if (Connection == null)             {                 if (String.IsNullOrEmpty(databaseName))                     return false;                 string connstring = string.Format("Server={0}; database={1}; UID={2}; password={3}", Server, DatabaseName, UserName, Password);                 Connection = new MySqlConnection(connstring);                 Connection.Open();             }                  return true;         }              public void Close()         {             Connection.Close();         }             } } 

Example:

var dbCon = DBConnection.Instance(); dbCon.Server = "YourServer"; dbCon.DatabaseName = "YourDatabase"; dbCon.UserName = "YourUsername"; dbCon.Password = "YourPassword"; if (dbCon.IsConnect()) {     //suppose col0 and col1 are defined as VARCHAR in the DB     string query = "SELECT col0,col1 FROM YourTable";     var cmd = new MySqlCommand(query, dbCon.Connection);     var reader = cmd.ExecuteReader();     while(reader.Read())     {         string someStringFromColumnZero = reader.GetString(0);         string someStringFromColumnOne = reader.GetString(1);         Console.WriteLine(someStringFromColumnZero + "," + someStringFromColumnOne);     }     dbCon.Close(); } 

Answer 2

You can use Package Manager to add it as a package and it is the easiest way. You don't need anything else to work with a MySQL database.

Or you can run this command in Package Manager Console:

PM> Install-Package MySql.Data 

NuGet MySql.Data