**MARIADB-INSTALL-DB**(1) MariaDB Database System **MARIADB-INSTALL-DB**(1)

# [NAME](#NAME)

mariadb-install-db - initialize MariaDB data directory (mariadb-install-db is now a symlink to mariadb-install-db)

# [SYNOPSIS](#SYNOPSIS)

**mariadb-install-db \[options]**

# [DESCRIPTION](#DESCRIPTION)

**mariadb-install-db** initializes the MariaDB data directory and creates the system tables that it contains, if they do not exist.

To invoke **mariadb-install-db**, use the following syntax:

```
shell> mariadb-install-db [options]
```

Because the MariaDB server, **mariadbd**, needs to access the data directory when it runs later, you should either run **mariadb-install-db** from the same account that will be used for running **mariadbd** or run it as root and use the **--user** option to indicate the user name that **mariadbd** will run as. It might be necessary to specify other options such as **--basedir** or **--datadir** if **mariadb-install-db** does not use the correct locations for the installation directory or data directory. For example:

```
shell> bin/mariadb-install-db --user=mysql \


         --basedir=/opt/mysql/mysql \


         --datadir=/opt/mysql/mysql/data
```

**mariadb-install-db** needs to invoke **mariadbd** with the **--bootstrap** and **--skip-grant-tables** options (see Section 2.3.2, “Typical configure Options”). If MariaDB was configured with the **--disable-grant-options** option, **--bootstrap** and **--skip-grant-tables** will be disabled. To handle this, set the mariadbd\_BOOTSTRAP environment variable to the full path name of a server that has all options enabled. **mariadb-install-db** will use that server.

**mariadb-install-db** supports the following options, which can be specified on the command line or in the \[mariadb-install-db] and (if they are common to **mariadbd**) \[mariadbd] option file groups.

•**--basedir=path**

The path to the MariaDB installation directory.

•**--builddir=path**

If using **--srcdir** with out-of-directory builds, you will need to set this to the location of the build directory where built files reside..

•**--cross-bootstrap**

For internal use. Used when building the MariaDB system tables on a different host than the target..

•**--datadir=path**, **--ldata=path**

The path to the MariaDB data directory.

•**--defaults-extra-file=filename**

Set **filename** as the file to read default options from after the global defaults files has been read. Must be given as first option.

•**--defaults-file=filename**

Set **filename** as the file to read default options from, override global defaults files. Must be given as first option.

•**--defaults-group-suffix=name**

In addition to the given groups, also read groups with this suffix.

•**--force**

Cause **mariadb-install-db** to run even if DNS does not work. In that case, grant table entries that normally use host names will use IP addresses.

•**--help**

Display a help message and exit.

•**--no-defaults**

Do not read default options from any option file. This must be given as the first argument.

•**--print-defaults**

Print the program argument list and exit. This must be given as the first argument.

•**--rpm**

For internal use. This option is used by RPM files during the MariaDB installation process.

•**--skip-name-resolve**

Use IP addresses rather than host names when creating grant table entries. This option can be useful if your DNS does not work.

•**--srcdir=path**

For internal use. The directory under which **mariadb-install-db** looks for support files such as the error message file and the file for populating the help tables.4.

•**--user=user\_name**

The login user name to use for running **mariadbd**. Files and directories created by **mariadbd** will be owned by this user. You must be root to use this option. By default, **mariadbd** runs using your current login name and files and directories that it creates will be owned by you.

•**--extra-file=file\_path**

Add user defined SQL file, to be executed following regular database initialization.

•**--verbose**

Verbose mode. Print more information about what the program does.

•**--windows**

For internal use. This option is used for creating Windows distributions.

# [COPYRIGHT](#COPYRIGHT)

Copyright 2007-2008 MySQL AB, 2008-2010 Sun Microsystems, Inc., 2010-2025 MariaDB Foundation

This documentation is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it only under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation; version 2 of the License.

This documentation is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License for more details.

You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with the program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1335 USA or see http://www.gnu.org/licenses/.

# [SEE ALSO](#SEE_ALSO)

For more information, please refer to the MariaDB Documentation, available online at https://mariadb.com/docs/

# [AUTHOR](#AUTHOR)

MariaDB Foundation (http://www.mariadb.org/).

5 March 2025 MariaDB 11.8

---

Document: mysql_install_db(1) from mariadb-13.0 13.0.2-r2 (Chainguard OS)