python setup.py egg_info mysqlclient

This worked for me:

1. brew install mysql-connector-c

2. edit mysql_config (locate it: which mysql_config)

correct this in mysql_config:

# Create options libs="-L$pkglibdir"libs="$libs -l "

It shoud be:

# Create options libs="-L$pkglibdir"libs="$libs -lmysqlclient -lssl -lcrypto"

4. brew info openssl
5. and finally pip3 install mysqlclient

I resolved this installing libmysqlclient-dev first:

sudo apt-get install libmysqlclient-dev

Hope it works for you.

After extensive troubleshooting, I found that the brew install mysql-connector-c just does not work.

The problem stems from the system not being able to identify that mysql_config is installed (which is what mysql-connector-c essentially does). Homebrew's method (open for argument) of installing the mysql-connector-c in its /Cellar/ and creating a symlink to the /usr/local/bin/ directory seems to be causing problems as Python tries to follow the symlink.

To resolve the issue I performed the following:

1. brew uninstall mysql-connector-c
2. download/install MacOS X MySQL Connector/C from Oracle's MySQL site
   • note: just download the .dmg, no need to be complicated here...
3. restart MacOS Terminal (or iTerm2) for good measure

4. which mysql_config

   • you should see the correct path /usr/local/bin/mysql/bin/mysql_config

5. activate virtualenv (if applicable)

6. pip install mysqlclient

There may be other ways to still use Homebrew, but this was the most straightforward solution I found.

Note that the mysqlclient GitHub README.md also states that the C-developer headers for Python3 are needed. I assume that mysql-connector-c includes those; however, should you run into more issues, you might also install the Xcode Developer CI Tools for good measure.

xcode-select --install

They include the C compiler and other developer utilities from Apple. Read more here.