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MySQL Command-Line Client vs MySQL Shell: catalog facts
MySQL Command-Line Client	MySQL Shell
Free Free as part of MySQL Community Edition; Oracle sells a separate Enterprise Edition.	Free Free download from the MySQL Community downloads.
Windows, macOS, Linux, Command line	Windows, macOS, Linux, Command line
Ships with every MySQL Community Server package Runs SQL scripts non-interactively for automation	Three modes: SQL, JavaScript and Python Handles queries and server administration in one tool
Text-only interface with no visual schema browsing Windows downloads bundle the full server, which is large	Command line only, with no graphical interface Only for MySQL servers
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Open source
License not stated	License: GPL-2.0
No account needed	No account needed
Works offline	Not stated if it works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Checked October 1, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked October 1, 2026

Catalog facts only. Anything “not stated” is unconfirmed. Check full listings for details.