Open-Source Databases · mydumper

mydumper

MyDumper is an open-source MySQL logical backup and restore tool that parallelizes export and import operations for speed. It generates separate output files per table and maintains consistent snapshots across backup threads, making it suitable for large MySQL/MariaDB/Percona deployments.

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Source: GitHub — github.com/mydumper/mydumper

3.2k

GitHub stars

501

Forks

Primary language

GPL-3.0

License (OSI-approved)

Key facts

Objective fields from the source. Values we can't verify are shown as “Unknown” rather than guessed.

Field	Value
Repository	mydumper/mydumper
Owner	mydumper
Primary language	C
License	GPL-3.0 — OSI-approved
Stars	3.2k
Forks	501
Open issues	44
Latest release	v1.0.3-1 (2026-06-03)
Last updated	2026-07-02
Source	https://github.com/mydumper/mydumper

What mydumper is

A C-based multithreaded tool providing mydumper (export) and myloader (import) with snapshot consistency via FLUSH TABLES WITH READ LOCK and transactional snapshots. Supports regex filtering, external compression via --exec, configurable session/global variables, and per-table WHERE clauses.

Quickstart

Get the mydumper source

Clone the repository and explore it locally.

terminalbash

1git clone https://github.com/mydumper/mydumper.git2cd mydumper3# follow the project's README for install & configuration

Need it deployed, integrated, or customized instead? DEV.co ships production installs.

Best use cases

Large-scale MySQL backup operations

Organizations with large databases benefit from parallel thread execution for faster dumps and restores compared to single-threaded mysqldump.

Multi-database migration and replication

Maintains consistent master/slave log positions and supports filtering by database/table regex patterns, simplifying selective data movement.

Backup-to-cloud or archive workflows

Integration with external compression (gzip, zstd) via --exec and structured file output enables efficient cloud storage and pipeline automation.

Implementation considerations

Requires MySQL client libraries and C build tools (cmake, gcc, etc.); build dependencies documented but migration to external docs ongoing.
Consistent snapshots rely on FLUSH TABLES WITH READ LOCK; long-running queries will abort the dump or be killed unless tuned.
Output includes separate metadata files and per-table dumps; post-processing scripts may be needed for custom pipelines.
Defaults file configuration supports session/global variable overrides and per-table WHERE clauses; requires careful testing before production use.
Docker image available but README notes it is optimized for development/local builds, not production distribution.

When to avoid it — and what to weigh

Non-transactional engines (MyISAM) require full consistency — Consistent snapshots are not guaranteed for non-transactional storage engines; README states support is 'expected' but not yet implemented.
Low production support requirements — Project is community-maintained, not backed by Percona, MariaDB, or MySQL; no SLA, dedicated support, or guaranteed response times.
Real-time or continuous replication needs — MyDumper is a logical backup tool, not a replication engine; it does not provide streaming or incremental backup capabilities.
Custom or proprietary database formats — Tool is optimized for MySQL-compatible databases; support for other database systems is not documented.

License & commercial use

Licensed under GNU General Public License v3.0 (GPL-3.0). This is a copyleft license requiring derivative works and distributions to be open-sourced under the same terms.

GPL-3.0 permits use of MyDumper in commercial environments, but any modifications or derivative distributions must be released under GPL-3.0 and source made available. Requires legal review if modifications are planned or if distribution/bundling is involved. No commercial support or licensing alternative is documented.

DEV.co evaluation signals

Editorial assessment — not user reviews. Directional, with an explicit confidence level.

Signal	Assessment
Maintenance	Active
Documentation	Adequate
License clarity	Clear
Deployment complexity	Moderate
DEV.co fit	Good
Assessment confidence	High

Security considerations

Tool requires database credentials (host, user, password) and executes SQL with high privileges (FLUSH TABLES, LOCK); credentials should be stored in restricted defaults files (.cnf with 600 permissions). --exec parameter accepts external commands; path must be absolute and should be validated against injection. No documented security audit or vulnerability disclosure process; review threat model if handling sensitive data.

Alternatives to consider

mysqldump (MySQL native utility)

Single-threaded, part of MySQL; slower for large datasets but requires no external dependency and widely deployed.

Percona XtraBackup

Commercial-grade physical backup tool by Percona; supports incremental backups and streaming, but requires separate licensing for commercial use.

MariaDB Backup (mariabackup)

Physical backup tool native to MariaDB; supports incremental/streaming backups and open-source, but not compatible with MySQL community edition.

Software development agency

Build on mydumper with DEV.co software developers

MyDumper is ideal for parallelized backups and migrations of large MySQL/MariaDB deployments. However, production use requires careful testing of snapshot consistency, credential management, and integration with your backup pipeline. Consider Percona XtraBackup or native tools if you need incremental/streaming backups or commercial support.

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Related open-source tools

Surfaced by semantic similarity across the DEV.co open-source index.

db-dumper replication-manager percona-toolkit

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mydumper FAQ

Does MyDumper provide incremental or streaming backups?

No. MyDumper is a logical backup tool that exports full database snapshots. It does not support incremental or streaming backups.

Is MyDumper production-ready and supported?

Yes, it is actively maintained and used in production. However, it is community-maintained, not backed by Percona/MariaDB/MySQL, so no SLA or dedicated support is available.

Can I use MyDumper with non-MySQL databases?

Unlikely. Tool is explicitly designed for MySQL-compatible databases (MySQL, MariaDB, Percona, TiDB). Support for other databases is not documented.

What is the licensing implication if I modify MyDumper?

Any modifications must be released under GPL-3.0; source code must be made available. Consult legal counsel if distribution or bundling is planned.

Software developers & web developers for hire

DEV.co is a software development agency delivering custom software development services to companies building on open source. Our software developers and web developers design, integrate, and ship production systems — spanning web development, APIs, AI, data, and cloud. If mydumper is part of your open-source databases roadmap, our team can implement, customize, migrate, and maintain it.

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