Database Management

Create a database: In the beginning the Universe was created.¹

CREATE DATABASE db_name;

To see how database was created.

SHOW CREATE DATABASE db_name;

Set default charset:

ALTER DATABASE db_name DEFAULT CHARACTER SET latin5 COLLATE latin5_turkish_ci;
ALTER DATABASE db_name DEFAULT CHARACTER SET utf8 COLLATE utf8_general_ci;

Listing running threads:

SHOW PROCESSLIST;

Table Management

Create a table:

CREATE TABLE table_name;

To see how table was created:

SHOW CREATE TABLE table_name;

Prints information about tables such as their versions, engines, collations:

SHOW TABLE STATUS;

Setting default character set and collation for a table:

ALTER TABLE table_name DEFAULT CHARACTER SET latin5 COLLATE latin5_turkish_ci;
ALTER TABLE table_name DEFAULT CHARACTER SET utf8 COLLATE utf8_general_ci;

Changing a table’s character set including its columns’ character sets:

ALTER TABLE table_name CONVERT TO CHARACTER SET utf8 COLLATE utf8_general_ci;

Switching between engines:

ALTER TABLE table_name ENGINE = MyISAM;
ALTER TABLE table_name ENGINE = INNODB;

Let me know if I missed some other useful commands.

¹ The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy