dumper

dumper [options] [database [{table | view | routine} ...]]

--help
    Display help and exit

--version
    Show version information

--host=hostname
    Connect to MySQL host

--port=portnum
    Use TCP/IP port

--user=username
    MySQL username

--password[=pass]
    Password (prompt if omitted)

--config=file
    Read options from config file

--dump-directory=dir
    Dump to directory (incremental mode)

--outputfile=file
    Write dump to file

--stdout
    Dump to standard output

--compress[=type]
    Compress output (gzip/bzip2)

--single-transaction
    Consistent snapshot without locks

--disable-keys
    Omit keys/indexes in dump

--no-data
    Dump structure only

--no-create-info
    Dump data only

--rows=N
    Limit rows per table

--where='condition'
    Dump matching rows only

--flush-logs
    Flush MySQL logs before dump

Dumper is a versatile Perl script designed for creating SQL dumps of MySQL and MariaDB databases. It excels in incremental backups, allowing dumps to be stored in a directory structure that mirrors the database layout for easy partial restores. Unlike mysqldump, it supports resuming interrupted dumps, multiple compression formats (gzip, bzip2), and advanced locking options like single-transaction for consistency without table locks.

Dumper handles large datasets efficiently with features like row limits, WHERE clauses, ORDER BY, and disabling keys/indexes during dump. It uses configuration files (~/.dumper.conf) for automation, supports stdout/output files, and includes options for flushing logs or disabling foreign key checks. Ideal for cron jobs and production environments, it requires Perl DBI and DBD::mysql modules.

Common use cases include full database backups, schema-only dumps, data-only exports, and selective table dumps. Restores are performed using standard mysql client.

Requires Perl with DBI/DBD::mysql; not a core Linux tool, install via package manager (e.g., apt install dumper). Incremental mode needs sufficient disk space. Passwords in config files pose security risk—use ~/.my.cnf instead.

Uses INI-style files like ~/.dumper.conf or /etc/dumper.conf. Example:
host=localhost
user=root
dump-directory=/backups

Use directory mode: mysql -u user -p db < dir/DB.sql or mysqlimport for incremental.

Created by Maximilian Gass in 2002 as a mysqldump alternative. Maintained until 2014 (v1.0.2), with forks for modern MySQL. Popular in early 2000s for its directory-based incremental dumps.

mysqldump(1), mysql(1), pg_dump(1), sqlite3(1)