Introduction to mysql.connector.errors.NotSupportedError

The mysql.connector.errors.NotSupportedError is an exception that is raised when an authentication plugin called "caching_sha2_password" is not supported by the MySQL connector.

Error Details

When using the MySQL connector in your application, if you encounter the NotSupportedError with the message Authentication plugin 'caching_sha2_password' is not supported, it means that the MySQL server is configured to use the "caching_sha2_password" authentication plugin, which is not supported by the MySQL connector you are using.

Cause of Error

The "caching_sha2_password" authentication plugin was introduced in MySQL 8.0.4 as a more secure method for storing passwords. However, older versions of the MySQL connector may not have implemented the necessary changes to support this new authentication plugin.

Solution

To resolve the NotSupportedError, you have a few options:

1. Upgrade the MySQL Connector: Upgrade to a newer version of the MySQL connector that supports the "caching_sha2_password" authentication plugin. This will enable your application to connect to MySQL servers using this newer authentication method.

2. Change MySQL Server Configuration: If you have control over the MySQL server configuration, you can change the default authentication plugin to one that is supported by the MySQL connector you are using. Commonly supported authentication plugins are "mysql_native_password" and "sha256_password". Note that changing the authentication plugin may require migrating existing user accounts to the new plugin.

3. Force MySQL Server to use an older authentication plugin: If you are unable to upgrade the MySQL connector or change the server configuration, you can modify the user account on the MySQL server to use an older authentication plugin. This can be done by setting the plugin column in the mysql.user table to a supported authentication plugin value like "mysql_native_password".

Example

Here is an example of how you can catch and handle the NotSupportedError in your code:

import mysql.connector
from mysql.connector import errors

try:
    # Code that attempts to connect to MySQL server
    # ...
except errors.NotSupportedError as err:
    print(f"Authentication error: {err}")
    print("Please upgrade the MySQL connector or change the server configuration.")

Make sure to handle the exception appropriately in your code and provide a user-friendly error message guiding the user on the necessary steps to resolve the issue.

Remember to refer to the documentation of the specific version of the MySQL connector you are using for more information and detailed examples.