Backup Database from the Command Prompt
It is a good idea to backup your MySQL data occasionally as a precautionary measure. It is also a
good idea to create a backup before making any major changes, in case something goes wrong
and you need to revert to the unmodified version. Database backups can also be used to transfer
your database from one server to another if you change web hosts.
From a command prompt, you can backup your entire database using this line:
mysqldump -u user_name -p your_password database_name > File_name.sql
Example: Let's assume that:
Username: bobbyjoe
Password: happy234
Database Name: BobsData
mysqldump -u bobbyjoe -p happy234 BobsData > BobBackup.sql
This will backup the database to a file called BobBackup.sql
Restore Database from the Command Prompt
If you are moving your data to a new server, or you have removed the old database completely
you can restore it using the code below. This will only work if the database does not already exist:
mysql - u user_name -p your_password database_name < file_name.sql
Or using our example from the previous page:
mysql - u bobbyjoe -p happy234 BobsData < BobBackup.sql
If your database already exists and you are just restoring it, try this line instead:
mysqlimport -u user_name -p your_password database_name file_name.sql
Or using our example again:
mysqlimport -u bobbyjoe -p happy234 BobsData BobBackup.sql