You can access a MySQL database running in a Docker container and query a table

1. Find the Running MySQL Container

Run the following command to list all running containers and find your MySQL container:

docker ps

Look for a container with the image name like mysql or mysql:latest.

2. Access MySQL Container via docker exec

If your MySQL container's name is my-mysql, access it using:

docker exec -it my-mysql mysql -u root -p

You'll be prompted to enter the MySQL root password (specified when starting the container).

3. Connect to MySQL from the Host Machine

If you exposed MySQL’s port (e.g., 3306:3306), you can connect from your local machine:

mysql -h 127.0.0.1 -P 3306 -u root -p

Alternatively, using docker run to connect:

docker run --rm -it --network host mysql mysql -h 127.0.0.1 -u root -p

4. Select the Database

Once inside MySQL, choose the database you want to query:

USE your_database;

5. Query a Table

Run an SQL query, for example:

SELECT * FROM your_table LIMIT 10;

6. Exit MySQL

To exit the MySQL shell, type:

EXIT;