MySQL: Log Files in Linux / UNIX / BSD

by

In MySQL, log files are used to record various events that occur within the server. These logs can be useful for troubleshooting issues or auditing activity. Here are the log files in Linux/UNIX/BSD systems where MySQL logs are typically stored:

  1. Error Log: The error log records any errors that occur in the MySQL server. This log is typically located in the /var/log/mysql/error.log file.
  2. General Query Log: The general query log records all SQL statements executed by the MySQL server. This log can be useful for debugging and performance analysis. This log is typically located in the /var/log/mysql/mysql.log file.
  3. Slow Query Log: The slow query log records any SQL statements that take longer than a specified amount of time to execute. This log can be used to identify performance issues with specific queries. This log is typically located in the /var/log/mysql/mysql-slow.log file.
  4. Binary Log: The binary log records all changes to the MySQL server’s data, allowing for replication or point-in-time recovery. This log is typically located in the /var/log/mysql/mysql-bin.XXXXXX files, where XXXXXX represents a sequence number.
  5. Relay Log: The relay log is used in MySQL replication and records transactions received from the master server. This log is typically located in the /var/lib/mysql/relay-bin.XXXXXX files.
  6. Audit Log: The audit log records all activity related to authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) events in MySQL. This log is typically located in the /var/log/mysql/mysql-audit.log file.

The location of these log files may vary depending on your distribution or how you have configured your MySQL installation. You can check your MySQL configuration file (my.cnf or mysql.cnf) to find out the exact locations of the log files. You can also configure the log files and their location by editing the configuration file.

Leave a Comment