How to make a Root to get access to the MariaDB server, trough a client app like MysqlWorkbench? I am running a brand new Ubuntu 16.04 virtual machine to perform some testes with MariaDB AND Nginx AND PHP7. 

When I was installing MariaDB (trough apt-get install mariadb-server) I was not asked to set a password for root user, like it is when we do install MySql-server. 

Then I installed MySql Workbench as a client to MariaDB server.

When I try to connect to the db server as a root with no password, I have an error like the picture below:


As you can see in the picture below, the root user has no password, and I have created another user with no password using this syntax: CREATE USER 'ig2'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY ''.


So now, when I try to to connect the just created user ig2 with no password I have a warning and a successful connection.



So, I sit a password to the root user with this syntax: SET PASSWORD FOR 'root'@'localhost' = PASSWORD('123'); and now the root has a encrypted password.



If I try to connect again with the root and his password 


And I still have the same connection errror for the root user:


If I set the same password for the user ig2, using the same syntax used to sit root's password, I can have a successful connection.

And it is weird when I try to connect trough the terminal:


The root user can connect with or without password.

In resume, I don't know what is happening, and I don't know how to make the root to get access to the server, trough a client application like Workbench.

Does someone can explain me?
The answer to this question should help you out:

$ sudo mysql -u root

[mysql] use mysql;
[mysql] update user set plugin='' where User='root';
[mysql] flush privileges;


In short, the new version of MariaDB checks to see what the system user is and only allows the actual system user root to log in to the DB user root. Disabling all plugins disables that functionality.