Install MySQL 8.4 on Debian 13

Goal

This documentation explains from A to Z how to install MySQL 8.4 on Debian 13 using the official Oracle APT method, then how to:

• verify that MySQL is working
• harden the instance
• adjust the base configuration
• move the datadir if needed
• manage the service with systemd

Important note about Debian 13

As of April 13, 2026, the MySQL APT repository does publish packages for Debian 13 trixie, including mysql-8.4-lts.

• Debian 13 can be used directly with the Oracle MySQL repository
• the recommended method remains the MySQL APT repository
• there is no need to use native Debian packages if the goal is Oracle MySQL 8.4

Recommended architecture

For a clean installation:

• minimal Debian 13 OS
• proper hostname
• static IP
• consistent timezone
• separate data disk if the machine is intended for production

Reasonable minimum configuration:

1. Prepare Debian 13

apt-get update
apt-get -y upgrade
apt-get install -y \
  curl wget gnupg lsb-release ca-certificates \
  apt-transport-https net-tools dnsutils sudo

Warning: the software-properties-common package does not exist on Debian 13 (it's an Ubuntu package). Do not include it.

timedatectl set-timezone Europe/Paris
cat /etc/os-release

Verify that VERSION_CODENAME=trixie.

2. Add the Oracle MySQL APT repository

Option A — Using mysql-apt-config (official method)

cd /tmp
wget https://dev.mysql.com/get/mysql-apt-config_0.8.36-1_all.deb
dpkg -i mysql-apt-config_0.8.36-1_all.deb
apt-get update

Option B — Manual APT file (recommended)

Important: the RPM-GPG-KEY-mysql-2023 GPG key expired in October 2025. Use RPM-GPG-KEY-mysql-2025.

mkdir -p /etc/apt/keyrings
wget -O /etc/apt/keyrings/mysql.gpg https://repo.mysql.com/RPM-GPG-KEY-mysql-2025

cat >/etc/apt/sources.list.d/mysql.list <<'EOF'
deb [signed-by=/etc/apt/keyrings/mysql.gpg] http://repo.mysql.com/apt/debian/ trixie mysql-8.4-lts mysql-tools
EOF

apt-get update

3. Install MySQL 8.4

DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive apt-get install -y mysql-server

This installs the server (mysql-community-server), client (mysql-community-client), plugins and common files.

dpkg -l | grep -E 'mysql-(server|client|community)'

4. Verify the service

systemctl status mysql --no-pager
systemctl is-active mysql
systemctl is-enabled mysql
mysql --version
mysql -Nse "SELECT VERSION();"

5. First connection

With DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive, MySQL 8.4 on Debian 13 configures root authentication via Unix socket (no password):

mysql

or:

sudo mysql

6. Harden the instance

Using the official tool:

mysql_secure_installation

Or manually:

DELETE FROM mysql.user WHERE User='';
DROP DATABASE IF EXISTS test;
DELETE FROM mysql.db WHERE Db='test' OR Db='test\\_%';
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;

7. Important file locations

8. Recommended base configuration

Add a dedicated file rather than modifying existing ones:

cat >/etc/mysql/mysql.conf.d/zz-custom.cnf <<'EOF'
[mysqld]
bind-address = 0.0.0.0
mysqlx-bind-address = 0.0.0.0
skip_name_resolve = ON
max_connections = 200
innodb_buffer_pool_size = 1G
log_error_verbosity = 2
EOF

systemctl restart mysql

Verify:

mysql -Nse "SHOW VARIABLES LIKE 'bind_address';"
mysql -Nse "SHOW VARIABLES LIKE 'innodb_buffer_pool_size';"

9. Open port 3306

If the server needs to accept remote connections:

CREATE USER 'admin'@'10.68.68.%' IDENTIFIED BY 'StrongPasswordHere';
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON *.* TO 'admin'@'10.68.68.%' WITH GRANT OPTION;
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;

ss -lntp | grep 3306

10. Move the datadir to /srv/mysql

systemctl stop mysql
mkdir -p /srv/mysql
rsync -aHAX /var/lib/mysql/ /srv/mysql/
chown -R mysql:mysql /srv/mysql
chmod 750 /srv/mysql

cat >/etc/mysql/mysql.conf.d/zz-datadir.cnf <<'EOF'
[mysqld]
datadir = /srv/mysql
EOF

systemctl start mysql
mysql -Nse "SELECT @@datadir;"

Expected result: /srv/mysql/

11. Enable performance_schema

Already enabled by default on MySQL 8.4.8:

mysql -Nse "SELECT @@performance_schema;"

If needed:

cat >/etc/mysql/mysql.conf.d/zz-performance.cnf <<'EOF'
[mysqld]
performance_schema = ON
EOF

systemctl restart mysql

12. Create a proper admin user

Avoid using root for everything:

CREATE USER 'dba'@'10.68.68.%' IDENTIFIED BY 'VeryStrongPassword';
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON *.* TO 'dba'@'10.68.68.%' WITH GRANT OPTION;
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;

13. Back up the configuration

tar czf /root/mysql-config-backup.tar.gz /etc/mysql
dpkg -l | grep mysql > /root/mysql-packages.txt

14. Common operating commands

systemctl start mysql
systemctl stop mysql
systemctl restart mysql
journalctl -u mysql -n 100 --no-pager

15. Final verification

systemctl is-active mysql
mysql --version
mysql -Nse "SELECT VERSION();"
mysql -Nse "SELECT @@datadir;"
mysql -Nse "SELECT @@performance_schema;"
ss -lntp | grep 3306

16. Common pitfalls

1. Do not mix MariaDB and Oracle MySQL — pick one
2. Expired GPG key — RPM-GPG-KEY-mysql-2023 expired → use RPM-GPG-KEY-mysql-2025
3. software-properties-common missing — Ubuntu-specific, not available on Debian 13
4. Wrong APT source — use trixie, not bookworm
5. Editing mysqld.cnf directly — prefer a zz-*.cnf file in /etc/mysql/mysql.conf.d/
6. Moving the datadir without stopping MySQL — always stop the service first
7. Exposing 3306 without filtering — restrict hosts, filter at firewall level

Compact procedure

apt-get update && apt-get -y upgrade
apt-get install -y wget gnupg ca-certificates curl sudo

mkdir -p /etc/apt/keyrings
wget -O /etc/apt/keyrings/mysql.gpg https://repo.mysql.com/RPM-GPG-KEY-mysql-2025

cat >/etc/apt/sources.list.d/mysql.list <<'EOF'
deb [signed-by=/etc/apt/keyrings/mysql.gpg] http://repo.mysql.com/apt/debian/ trixie mysql-8.4-lts mysql-tools
EOF

apt-get update
DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive apt-get install -y mysql-server
systemctl enable --now mysql

mysql -e "DELETE FROM mysql.user WHERE User=''; DROP DATABASE IF EXISTS test; DELETE FROM mysql.db WHERE Db='test' OR Db='test\\_%'; FLUSH PRIVILEGES;"

Tested installation results

Installation performed on April 13, 2026 on Proxmox VM:

• VM: VMID 115, mysql84-deb13, IP 10.68.68.190
• OS: Debian 13.4 (trixie), kernel 6.12.74
• MySQL: 8.4.8 (MySQL Community Server - GPL)
• Service: active, enabled at boot
• Config: bind 0.0.0.0, skip_name_resolve ON, innodb_buffer_pool_size 1G, max_connections 200
• performance_schema: active
• Port 3306: listening on 0.0.0.0

Conclusion

On Debian 13, the proper method for installing MySQL 8.4 is to use the Oracle MySQL APT repository.

Corrections compared to initial documentation:

• GPG key: RPM-GPG-KEY-mysql-2023 expired → use RPM-GPG-KEY-mysql-2025
• Prerequisites: remove software-properties-common (not available on Debian 13)
• Root connection: with DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive, root connects via socket without password
• performance_schema: already active by default on MySQL 8.4.8

Official references

• MySQL 8.4 — APT Installation
• MySQL 8.4 — Oracle Debian Packages
• MySQL APT Repository
• APT trixie repository index