MySQL®

11. The MySQL Data Directory

Conceptually, most 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, all information managed by the MySQL server mysqld is stored under a location called the MySQL data directory. All databases are stored here, and so are 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 ...