MySQL

Choose Other MySQL for MySQL 8 or later on any host. For PlanetScale see PlanetScale, and for MariaDB see MariaDB.

1. Paste a connection string

Use a login that can create users, such as root, and put the database name at the end:

mysql://root:your-password@db.example.com:3306/app

In Rowsend, open Contacts, click Connect a database, choose Other MySQL, paste it and click Continue. Rowsend uses this login once, to list your tables, and doesn’t save the password.

2. Choose what Rowsend reads

Pick a table and its email and last-changed columns, join a second table if you like, and tick any extra columns. The select must return id, email and updated_at. See How syncing works.

3. Run the setup SQL

Click Copy SQL and run it as the same login. It:

• creates a view called rowsend_contacts in your database
• creates rowsend_reader, a user that can only read that view

The view lives in your database rather than a database of its own, because many hosts don’t allow creating databases. The SQL sets the user’s password from a caching_sha2_password hash, so the password itself never appears in it.

4. Test and connect

Click Test and connect. Rowsend connects as rowsend_reader and syncs.

Your database has to accept connections from your computer. On a cloud host, allow your IP address if it limits who can connect.