Installing mysql-python on Centos

For centos7 I required: sudo yum install mysql-devel gcc python-pip python-devel sudo pip install mysql-python

So, gcc and mysql-devel (rather than mysql) were important

I have Python 2.7.5, MySQL 5.6 and CentOS 7.1.1503.

For me it worked with the following command:

# pip install mysql-python

Note pre-requisites here:

Install Python pip:

# rpm -iUvh http://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/epel/7/x86_64/e/epel-release-7-5.noarch.rpm

# yum -y update
Reboot the machine (if kernel is also updated)

# yum -y install python-pip

Install Python devel packages:

# yum install python-devel

Install MySQL devel packages:

# yum install mysql-devel

You probably did not install MySQL via yum? The version of MySQLDB in the repository is tied to the version of MySQL in the repository. The versions need to match.

Your choices are:

1. Install the RPM version of MySQL.
2. Compile MySQLDB to your version of MySQL.

Step 1 - Install package

# yum install MySQL-python
Loaded plugins: auto-update-debuginfo, langpacks, presto, refresh-packagekit
Setting up Install Process
Resolving Dependencies
--> Running transaction check
---> Package MySQL-python.i686 0:1.2.3-3.fc15 will be installed
--> Finished Dependency Resolution

Dependencies Resolved

================================================================================
 Package              Arch         Version                 Repository      Size
================================================================================
Installing:
 MySQL-python         i686         1.2.3-3.fc15            fedora          78 k

Transaction Summary
================================================================================
Install       1 Package(s)

Total download size: 78 k
Installed size: 220 k
Is this ok [y/N]: y
Downloading Packages:
Setting up and reading Presto delta metadata
Processing delta metadata
Package(s) data still to download: 78 k
MySQL-python-1.2.3-3.fc15.i686.rpm                       |  78 kB     00:00     
Running rpm_check_debug
Running Transaction Test
Transaction Test Succeeded
Running Transaction
  Installing : MySQL-python-1.2.3-3.fc15.i686                               1/1 

Installed:
  MySQL-python.i686 0:1.2.3-3.fc15                                              

Complete!

Step 2 - Test working

import MySQLdb
db = MySQLdb.connect("localhost","myusername","mypassword","mydb" )
cursor = db.cursor()
cursor.execute("SELECT VERSION()")
data = cursor.fetchone()    
print "Database version : %s " % data    
db.close()

Ouput:

Database version : 5.5.20