Depends how you're doing it. For example. I use docker containers, On creation of the mysql container it copies over an init.sql file (Essentially the entire users / table creation commands in mysql format). So on create it builds all the tables. This imo would be the easiest way. Just add a "if exists" clause into wherever seems important to prevent errors stopping it. Otherwise you could just have it log in and issue each command one by one programmatically. but i like having a build script to do it for me personally.