Backing Up MySQL Databases with the mysqldump Command

Linux commands

The mysqldump command is used to create a backup of a MySQL database by exporting its structure and data into a .sql file.

Syntax:

mysqldump -u username -p database_name > /path/to/backup.sql

Parameters:

  • -u username: Specifies the MySQL username.
  • -p: Prompts for the MySQL password.
  • database_name: The name of the database to be dumped.
  • > /path/to/backup.sql: Redirects the output to a specified file.

Example:
mysqldump -u root -p my_database > /home/ubuntu/my_database_backup.sql