How do I backup my MySQL database?

Hi there,

In general, the fastest and easiest way to back up your MySQL database in a human readable .sql format would be to use a tool like mysqldump. The process for this would generally be completed by entering one command with varying syntax depending on the specific backup goal you're trying to accomplish. The syntax for creating a backup of your full Database Management System (DBMS)for example would essentially be as follows:

mysqldump --all-databases --single-transaction --quick --lock-tables=false > full-backup-$(date +%F).sql -u root -p

That being said, this command can also be adjusted to restore from specific databases or tables, and then fed similar syntax to restore your database. For a little more information regarding how to do this, I'm including some documentation below which should help:

Using mysqldump

If you do ever need to download this .sql file, you should then be able to use file transfer tools like filezilla or the scp command. For a little more information regarding this process, I'm including two more pieces of documentation below which should help to explain this process in more detail:

Filezilla
SCP (Secure Copy)

Lastly for zipping this file, I can absolutely recommend reading the following community post below:

Zipping your .sql file

I hope that helps!