I set up a new computer running macOS 10.14.5 and Docker Desktop community 2.0.0.3 (31259) and I noticed that my MySQL container wasn't being created properly. This is the command that I had run on my previous computer:
docker run --name virtual-mysql -p 3306:3306 -e MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD=mypassword -d mysql:5.7.22
That worked: it would properly set the root password. But on the new computer, when I run that command, the root password is NOT set. I can log in as the root user, but only if I leave the password blank. Only the root user can create a database.
But more curiously, I can specify ANYTHING as the user, e.g. asdf and successfully log in (!!!). When I log in as a non-existent user, I can only view the information_schema and I cannot create a database, however -- I get an error: Access denied for user ''@'localhost' to database 'asdf' -- which suggests that perhaps my client isn't sending the login credentials correctly (I am using Sequel Pro 1.1.2 as my MySQL client).
Can someone explain this strange behavior?
After some helpful nudging, I figured out where this was going off the rails.
First problem: one of the apps I installed had installed an instance of MySQL onto the host OS. I didn't notice it because I had done which mysql from an open Terminal window that didn't have its PATH updated.
Second problem: mysqld kept running a process that bound to port 3306.
I didn't notice this until running lsof -Pnl +M -i4 | grep 'LISTEN'lsof -Pnl +M -i4 | grep 'LISTEN' revealed it. I had my suspicions when I could bring up new dockerized instances bound to other ports.
So the solution was to THOROUGHLY delete mysql (and mysqld), then REBOOT to shake any dangling connections. Once I had done that, my dockerized versions ran fine.