It is possible to specify statements over multiple lines. When in Python or JavaScript mode, multiple-line mode is automatically enabled when a block of statements starts like in function definitions, if/then statements, for loops, and so on. In SQL mode multiple line mode starts when the command \ is issued.

Once multiple-line mode is started, the subsequently entered statements are cached.

For example:

mysql-sql> \
... create procedure get_actors()
... begin
...   select first_name from sakila.actor;
... end
...
mysql-sql>