How to Create MariaDB on Linux Server in 2026? – Easy Guide

To create MariaDB on a Linux server, install the MariaDB server package, start and secure the service, then create a database and a user with least-privilege access. On Ubuntu/Debian use APT; on RHEL/AlmaLinux/Rocky use DNF/YUM.

Run mysql_secure_installation, configure networking if needed, enable systemd, and validate with a test connection. If you want to create MariaDB on a Linux server for websites, applications, or analytics, this guide gives you a clean, production-ready path.

We’ll cover installation on Ubuntu/Debian and RHEL based systems, initial security, creating databases and users, performance tuning basics, backups, and common troubleshooting using beginner friendly steps that follow industry best practices.

As a hosting professional, I’ll also show you when it makes sense to use a managed VPS from a provider like YouStable to offload maintenance and focus on your app.

Prerequisites and System Requirements

Before you create MariaDB on a Linux server, make sure you have the following in place:

• A supported Linux distribution: Ubuntu 20.04/22.04/24.04, Debian 11/12, AlmaLinux/Rocky Linux 8/9, RHEL 8/9
• Root or sudo access
• Updated package indexes and system packages
• Open ports if remote access is required (default TCP 3306)
• Baseline server sizing: 1–2 vCPU, 2–4 GB RAM for small apps; more for heavy workloads

Install and Configure MariaDB – Step by Step

Update the System

# Ubuntu / Debian
sudo apt update && sudo apt -y upgrade

# RHEL / AlmaLinux / Rocky
sudo dnf -y update

Install MariaDB on Ubuntu/Debian (APT)

The fastest path is the distro repository. For newer features, use the official MariaDB repo. Start with the OS repo first:

# Install from Ubuntu/Debian repository
sudo apt -y install mariadb-server mariadb-client

# Start and enable
sudo systemctl enable --now mariadb

# Check status
systemctl status mariadb

To install a specific version (e.g., LTS) from the official MariaDB repository:

# Add the official MariaDB repo (example for Ubuntu 22.04; adjust for your distro)
sudo apt -y install software-properties-common curl gnupg
curl -LsS https://r.mariadb.com/downloads/mariadb_repo_setup | sudo bash

# Install server and client
sudo apt -y install mariadb-server mariadb-client
sudo systemctl enable --now mariadb

Install MariaDB on RHEL/AlmaLinux/Rocky (DNF/YUM)

Use the OS repository for stability, or the official MariaDB repo for newer versions.

# OS repository (stable)
sudo dnf -y install mariadb-server

# Start and enable
sudo systemctl enable --now mariadb

# Status
systemctl status mariadb

Alternatively, add the official MariaDB repository for a specific major version:

# Add official MariaDB repo
sudo dnf -y install curl
curl -LsS https://r.mariadb.com/downloads/mariadb_repo_setup | sudo bash

# Install and start
sudo dnf -y install MariaDB-server MariaDB-client
sudo systemctl enable --now mariadb

Secure the Server: mysql_secure_installation

Run the built-in hardening script immediately after installation. It sets the root password, removes test databases, and enforces sane defaults.

sudo mysql_secure_installation

Recommended answers during the prompts:

• Set root password: Yes
• Remove anonymous users: Yes
• Disallow root remote login: Yes (unless you have a strict, secured need)
• Remove test DB: Yes
• Reload privilege tables: Yes

Create a Database and a Least-Privilege User

Log into MariaDB and create your application database and user with the minimum privileges required.

# Log in as root (use sudo if required)
sudo mysql -u root -p

# Inside the MariaDB shell:
CREATE DATABASE appdb CHARACTER SET utf8mb4 COLLATE utf8mb4_unicode_ci;
CREATE USER 'appuser'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'Strong_Passw0rd!';
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON appdb.* TO 'appuser'@'localhost';
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
EXIT;

Test the Connection

mysql -u appuser -p -D appdb -e "SELECT VERSION() AS mariadb_version;"

Enable Remote Access (Optional)

Only open remote access if your app server is separate from the DB server and you have a firewall, strong passwords, and ideally a private network or VPN. Steps:

• Allow MariaDB to listen on all interfaces or a specific IP
• Create a user bound to the app server’s IP
• Open the firewall port securely

# Edit the MariaDB config (path may vary)
sudo nano /etc/mysql/mariadb.conf.d/50-server.cnf    # Ubuntu/Debian
# or
sudo nano /etc/my.cnf                                # RHEL-based

# Set
bind-address = 0.0.0.0   # or a specific LAN/VPC IP

# Restart MariaDB
sudo systemctl restart mariadb

# Create a remote user (replace 203.0.113.10 with your app server IP)
sudo mysql -u root -p -e "CREATE USER 'appuser'@'203.0.113.10' IDENTIFIED BY 'Strong_Passw0rd!'; GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON appdb.* TO 'appuser'@'203.0.113.10'; FLUSH PRIVILEGES;"

Open the firewall carefully:

# UFW (Ubuntu)
sudo ufw allow from 203.0.113.10 to any port 3306 proto tcp

# firewalld (RHEL/Alma/Rocky)
sudo firewall-cmd --add-rich-rule='rule family="ipv4" source address="203.0.113.10" port protocol="tcp" port="3306" accept' --permanent
sudo firewall-cmd --reload

Start on Boot and Verify

sudo systemctl enable mariadb
sudo systemctl status mariadb
ss -tulpn | grep 3306

Performance Tuning Basics (Safe Defaults)

For small to medium workloads, these baseline tweaks improve performance and consistency. Adjust to your RAM and workload. Put them into a custom config include (preferred) instead of editing the main file.

# Ubuntu/Debian include file
sudo nano /etc/mysql/mariadb.conf.d/60-tuning.cnf

# RHEL-based include file
sudo nano /etc/my.cnf.d/60-tuning.cnf

[mysqld]
# Use UTF-8 everywhere
character-set-server = utf8mb4
collation-server     = utf8mb4_unicode_ci

# InnoDB (transactional engine)
innodb_buffer_pool_size = 1G     # ~50–70% of RAM on a dedicated DB server
innodb_log_file_size    = 256M
innodb_flush_log_at_trx_commit = 1
innodb_file_per_table   = 1

# Connections
max_connections = 200

# Slow query logging
slow_query_log = 1
slow_query_log_file = /var/log/mysql/mariadb-slow.log
long_query_time = 1

# Networking
skip_name_resolve = 1

# Apply changes
sudo systemctl restart mariadb

Backups and Restores (Essential)

• Logical backups: good for portability (mysqldump, mariadb-dump)
• Physical/hot backups: faster for large datasets (Percona XtraBackup, MariaDB Backup)
• Automate daily dumps and store off-server (S3/object storage)

# Dump a single database
mysqldump -u root -p --routines --events --single-transaction appdb > /backup/appdb_$(date +%F).sql

# Restore
mysql -u root -p appdb < /backup/appdb_YYYY-MM-DD.sql

# Dump all databases
mysqldump -u root -p --all-databases --single-transaction --routines --events > /backup/all_$(date +%F).sql

Monitoring and Logs

• Service logs: journalctl -u mariadb
• Error log: /var/log/mysql/error.log (Ubuntu/Debian) or /var/log/mysqld.log (RHEL-based)
• Slow queries: /var/log/mysql/mariadb-slow.log (as configured)
• Health checks: SHOW GLOBAL STATUS, information_schema tables

# Basic health snapshot
mysql -u root -p -e "SHOW GLOBAL STATUS LIKE 'Threads_connected'; SHOW GLOBAL STATUS LIKE 'Uptime'; SHOW GLOBAL VARIABLES LIKE 'version';"

Common Errors and Fixes

• Can’t connect to local MySQL server through socket: Ensure the service is running (systemctl status mariadb) and your client points to the correct socket (/var/run/mysqld/mysqld.sock).
• Access denied for user: Verify user host portion (e.g., ‘appuser’@’localhost’ vs ‘appuser’@’%’), reset password if needed, and FLUSH PRIVILEGES.
• Port 3306 not listening: Check bind-address and firewalls; restart MariaDB and verify with ss -tulpn.
• Out of memory or slow performance: Increase innodb_buffer_pool_size, review slow query log, and add indexes.
• Upgrade conflicts: If switching from distro to official repo, fully remove old packages (keeping data dir), clear caches, then install the desired version.

Real World Tips from Production

• Use utf8mb4 by default to avoid emoji and multilingual text issues.
• Keep app and DB on separate servers or networks for better security and performance.
• Restrict remote DB access to fixed IPs and use VPN or private subnets in cloud environments.
• Run regular slow query reviews; most performance wins come from better indexes and queries.
• Automate nightly backups and test restores monthly.

When to Use a Managed VPS (YouStable)

If managing patches, backups, and tuning feels heavy, a managed VPS from YouStable can help. We provision MariaDB with secure defaults, continuous monitoring, snapshots, and 24/7 support. That means you focus on your app while we handle uptime, optimization, and incident response. Ask our team to pre-size your buffer pool and storage for your workload.

FAQ’s