qqq: Pretty sure you can install/run mysql under your own non-privileged user… but I wouldn’t say that sort of “ease” was a good criteria for choosing a database. I mean, if you really want something “that easy” why not use one of the various non-installable ones like SQLite, Derby, H2 etc?

@U04V70XH6 : for aws, I'm using aurora, which is mysql; for dev machine, I just want quick / easy mysql interface

If you want MySQL compatibility, then you’re really down to using MySQL locally… 🙂

Yeah, I don't mind running mysql, I just want an easy way to fire it up from user and instead of having to be root or having to . be user mysql.

It somehow feels "impure" for the db to MUST RUN AS THIS USER , instead of something any user can fire off easily on any port.

Pretty sure you can install / start / stop MySQL as a non-root user… I just did a quick Bing search and found several guides for that…