MySQL, 5th Edition

11. The MySQL Data Directory

Conceptually, different relational database systems are broadly similar: They manage a set of databases, and each database includes a set of tables. But every system has its own way of organizing the data it manages, and MySQL is no exception. By default, the MySQL server mysqld stores all information it manages under a location called the MySQL data directory. It stores all databases here, as well as the status files and logs that provide information about the server’s operation. If you have any administrative responsibilities for a MySQL installation, familiarity with the layout and use of the data directory is fundamental to carrying out your duties. Even if you don’t perform any MySQL administration, you can benefit ...