ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'mysql' in Python

# ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'mysql' in Python

The Python "ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'mysql'" occurs when we forget to install the mysql-connector-python module before importing it or install it in an incorrect environment.

To solve the error, install the module by running the pip install mysql-connector-python command.

Open your terminal in your project's root directory and install the mysql-connector-python module.

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# 👇️ In a virtual environment or using Python 2
pip install mysql-connector-python

# 👇️ For Python 3 (could also be pip3.10 depending on your version)
pip3 install mysql-connector-python

# 👇️ If you get a permissions error
sudo pip3 install mysql-connector-python
pip install mysql-connector-python --user

# 👇️ If you don't have pip in your PATH environment variable
python -m pip install mysql-connector-python

# 👇️ For Python 3 (could also be pip3.10 depending on your version)
python3 -m pip install mysql-connector-python

# 👇️ Using py alias (Windows)
py -m pip install mysql-connector-python

# 👇️ For Anaconda
conda install -c anaconda mysql-connector-python

# 👇️ For Jupyter Notebook
!pip install mysql-connector-python

After you install the mysql-connector-python package, try importing it like:

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import mysql.connector

# Connect to server
cnx = mysql.connector.connect(
    host="127.0.0.1",
    port=3306,
    user="alice",
    password="dogsandcats123")

# Get a cursor
cur = cnx.cursor()

# Execute a query
cur.execute("SELECT CURDATE()")

# Fetch one result
row = cur.fetchone()
print("Current date is: {0}".format(row[0]))

# Close connection
cnx.close()

# Common causes of the error

The error occurs for multiple reasons:

1. Not having the mysql-connector-python package installed by running pip install mysql-connector-python.
2. Installing the package in a different Python version than the one you're using.
3. Installing the package globally and not in your virtual environment.
4. Your IDE running an incorrect version of Python.
5. Naming your module mysql.py which would shadow the official module.
6. Declaring a variable named mysql which would shadow the imported variable.

If the error persists, get your Python version and make sure you are installing the package using the correct Python version.

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python --version

For example, my Python version is 3.10.4, so I would install the mysql-connector-python package with pip3.10 install mysql-connector-python.

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pip3.10 install mysql-connector-python

# 👇️ If you get a permissions error, use pip3 (NOT pip3.X)
sudo pip3 install mysql-connector-python

Notice that the version number corresponds to the version of pip I'm using.

If the PATH for pip is not set up on your machine, replace pip with python3 -m pip:

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# 👇️ Make sure to use your version of Python, e.g. 3.10
python3 -m pip install mysql-connector-python

If the error persists, try restarting your IDE and development server/script.

# Check if the package is installed

You can check if you have the mysql-connector-python package installed by running the pip show mysql-connector-python command.

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# 👇️ Check if you have mysql-connector-python installed
pip show mysql-connector-python

# 👇️ If you don't have pip set up in PATH
python -m pip show mysql-connector-python

The pip show mysql-connector-python command will either state that the package is not installed or show a bunch of information about the package, including the location where the package is installed.

# Make sure your IDE is using the correct Python version

If the package is not installed, make sure your IDE is using the correct version of Python.

For example, In VSCode, you can press CTRL + Shift + P or (⌘ + Shift + P on Mac) to open the command palette.

Then type "Python select interpreter" in the field.

Then Select the correct Python version from the dropdown menu.

# Install the package in a Virtual Environment

If you are using a virtual environment, make sure you are installing mysql-connector-python in your virtual environment and not globally.

You can try creating a virtual environment if you don't already have one.

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# 👇️ Use the correct version of Python when creating VENV
python3 -m venv venv

# 👇️ Activate on Unix or MacOS
source venv/bin/activate

# 👇️ Activate on Windows (cmd.exe)
venv\Scripts\activate.bat

# 👇️ Activate on Windows (PowerShell)
venv\Scripts\Activate.ps1

# 👇️ Install mysql-connector-python in your virtual environment
pip install mysql-connector-python

If the python3 -m venv venv command doesn't work, try the following 2 commands:

• python -m venv venv
• py -m venv venv

Your virtual environment will use the version of Python that was used to create it.

You also shouldn't be declaring a variable named mysql-connector-python as that would also shadow the original module.

# Try reinstalling the package

If the error is not resolved, try to uninstall the mysql-connector-python package and then install it.

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# 👇️ Check if you have `mysql-connector-python` installed
pip show mysql-connector-python

# 👇️ If you don't have pip set up in PATH
python -m pip show mysql-connector-python

# 👇️ Uninstall mysql-connector-python
pip uninstall mysql-connector-python

# 👇️ If you don't have pip set up in PATH
python -m pip uninstall mysql-connector-python

# 👇️ Install mysql-connector-python
pip install mysql-connector-python

# 👇️ If you don't have pip set up in PATH
python -m pip install mysql-connector-python

Try restarting your IDE and development server/script.

You can also try to upgrade the version of the mysql-connector-python package.

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pip install mysql-connector-python --upgrade

# 👇️ If you don't have pip set up in PATH
python -m pip install mysql-connector-python --upgrade

This one is for using virtual environments (VENV) on Windows:

This one is for using virtual environments (VENV) on MacOS and Linux: