Documentation :: Where are MySQL's Files?

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1 MySQL's Files

MySQL's Files

MySQL stores and accesses files in various places on your hard drive. This page documents the locations of commonly used files, for some often used MySQL installations.

If you want to backup your data or copy data from one server to another, please don't copy the data files directly. It is recommended to use Sequel Pro's Export and Import features (use a MySQL dump) to accomplish this.

If you can't find the files in the locations given here, it could be because you changed the configuration -- these are only the default locations. Some of the files only exist while the MySQL server is running (eg. the socket file).

If your installation has no option file (my.cnf), you can create it in the base directory of your installation (see Section 4.2.3.3 of the MySQL manual for more information).

If you can connect to your MySQL server, you can find many of these paths by selecting Show Server Variables... from the Database Menu in Sequel Pro.

MySQL installed with the official .pkg installer

Socket File: /tmp/mysql.sock

Data Files: /usr/local/mysql/data/

Error Log: /usr/local/mysql/data/HOSTNAME.err (insert your hostname)

Base Directory: /usr/local/mysql/ (this is a symbolic link)

MySQL 5 installed with MacPorts

Socket File: /opt/local/var/run/mysql5/mysqld.sock

Data Files: /opt/local/var/db/mysql5/

Error Log: /opt/local/var/db/mysql5/HOSTNAME.err (insert your hostname)

MySQL installed with MAMP

Socket File: /Applications/MAMP/tmp/mysql/mysql.sock

Data Files: /Applications/MAMP/db/mysql/

Base Directory: /Applications/MAMP/Library/

Error Log: /Applications/MAMP/logs/mysql_error_log

MySQL installed with XAMPP

Socket File: /Applications/XAMPP/xamppfiles/var/mysql/mysql.sock

Data Files: /Applications/XAMPP/xamppfiles/var/mysql

Configuration File: /Applications/XAMPP/xamppfiles/etc/my.cnf