Errors Connecting to MySQL in Node

ER_NOT_SUPPORTED_AUTH_MODE: Client does not support authentication protocol requested by server; consider upgrading MySQL client

In MySQL Workbench, open a blank Query page and execute these commands (Query > Execute (All or Selection)):

ALTER USER 'root'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED WITH mysql_native_password BY 'password';
flush privileges;

This is what it will look like in Workbench:

ER_ACCESS_DENIED_ERROR: Access denied for user ‘root’@’localhost’ (using password: YES)

In the part of your Node application where you define the connection to the MySQL database, set password to an empty string:

const connection = mysql.createConnection({
    host: 'localhost',
    user: 'root',
    password: ''
});

After you re-run your server, the error will go away, but you may be left with a new error– the error below:

ER_MUST_CHANGE_PASSWORD_LOGIN: Your password has expired. To log in you must change it using a client that supports expired passwords.

Execute the following query in MYSQL Workbench (change new-password to your own new password):

ALTER USER `root`@`localhost` IDENTIFIED BY 'new-password',
       `root`@`localhost` PASSWORD EXPIRE NEVER;
flush privileges;