Mysqldump vs mysqlpump: Key Differences and Usage Guide

mysqldump is a traditional MySQL backup tool that exports databases as SQL text files, while mysqlpump is a newer, faster utility that supports parallel processing and more flexible options. mysqlpump is better for large databases and parallel backups, but mysqldump remains widely used for simple, reliable exports.

Quick Comparison

This table summarizes the main differences between mysqldump and mysqlpump.

Feature	mysqldump	mysqlpump
Release Year	1995 (legacy tool)	Introduced in MySQL 5.7 (2016)
Backup Type	Single-threaded SQL dump	Parallel dump with multiple threads
Performance	Slower on large databases	Faster due to parallelism
Compression Support	No built-in compression	Supports compression options
Object Filtering	Limited filtering options	Advanced filtering by schema, table, or object type
Restore Compatibility	Standard SQL dump, widely compatible	SQL dump but may include mysqlpump-specific features

Key Differences

mysqldump is the classic MySQL backup tool that exports database contents as plain SQL statements. It works in a single thread, which means it processes one table at a time. This simplicity makes it very reliable and compatible with many MySQL versions and tools.

On the other hand, mysqlpump is a newer utility introduced in MySQL 5.7 designed to improve backup speed by using parallel processing. It can dump multiple schemas and tables simultaneously, which greatly reduces backup time for large databases. It also offers more advanced filtering options, allowing you to include or exclude specific objects like tables, routines, or events.

While mysqldump produces a straightforward SQL dump, mysqlpump supports features like compression and progress reporting. However, because it is newer, some environments may not support it yet, and its output might include features not compatible with older MySQL versions.

Code Comparison

Here is how you would export a database named mydb using mysqldump:

bash

mysqldump -u root -p mydb > mydb_backup.sql

Output

Creates a file named mydb_backup.sql containing the SQL dump of the mydb database.

mysqlpump Equivalent

To perform the same backup using mysqlpump with parallelism, you can run:

bash

mysqlpump -u root -p --default-parallelism=4 mydb > mydb_backup.sql

Output

Creates a file named mydb_backup.sql with a parallelized SQL dump of the mydb database, speeding up the process.

When to Use Which

Choose mysqldump when you need a simple, reliable backup tool that works on all MySQL versions and environments, especially for small to medium databases or when compatibility is critical.

Choose mysqlpump when working with large databases where backup speed matters, or when you want advanced features like parallel processing, filtering, and compression. It is ideal if you use MySQL 5.7 or newer and want to optimize backup time.

Key Takeaways

mysqldump is simple, reliable, and widely compatible but single-threaded and slower.

mysqlpump offers faster backups with parallelism and advanced filtering but requires MySQL 5.7+.

Use mysqldump for small databases or maximum compatibility.

Use mysqlpump for large databases and when backup speed is important.

mysqlpump supports compression and progress reporting, unlike mysqldump.