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/usr/bin/mysqlimport

The MySQL open source relational database

From mysql-9.4 9.4.0-r9 (enterprise-packages), captured 2026-11-08 by running mysqlimport --help (exit 0). permalink

/usr/bin/mysqlimport  Ver 9.4.0 for Linux on x86_64 (Source distribution)
Copyright (c) 2000, 2025, Oracle and/or its affiliates.

Oracle is a registered trademark of Oracle Corporation and/or its
affiliates. Other names may be trademarks of their respective
owners.

Loads tables from text files in various formats.  The base name of the
text file must be the name of the table that should be used.
If one uses sockets to connect to the MySQL server, the server will open and
read the text file directly. In other cases the client will open the text
file. The SQL command 'LOAD DATA INFILE' is used to import the rows.

Usage: /usr/bin/mysqlimport [OPTIONS] database textfile...
Default options are read from the following files in the given order:
/etc/mysql/my.cnf /etc/my.cnf ~/.my.cnf
The following groups are read: mysqlimport client
The following options may be given as the first argument:
--print-defaults        Print the program argument list and exit.
--no-defaults           Don't read default options from any option file,
                        except for login file.
--defaults-file=#       Only read default options from the given file #.
--defaults-extra-file=# Read this file after the global files are read.
--defaults-group-suffix=#
                        Also read groups with concat(group, suffix)
--login-path=#          Read this path from the login file.
--no-login-paths        Don't read login paths from the login path file.
  --bind-address=name IP address to bind to.
  --character-sets-dir=name
                      Directory for character set files.
  --default-character-set=name
                      Set the default character set.
  -c, --columns=name  Use only these columns to import the data to. Give the
                      column names in a comma separated list. This is same as
                      giving columns to LOAD DATA INFILE.
  -C, --compress      Use compression in server/client protocol.
  -#, --debug[=#]     This is a non-debug version. Catch this and exit.
  --debug-check       This is a non-debug version. Catch this and exit.
  --debug-info        This is a non-debug version. Catch this and exit.
  --default-auth=name Default authentication client-side plugin to use.
  -d, --delete        First delete all rows from table.
  --enable-cleartext-plugin
                      Enable/disable the clear text authentication plugin.
  --fields-terminated-by=name
                      Fields in the input file are terminated by the given
                      string.
  --fields-enclosed-by=name
                      Fields in the import file are enclosed by the given
                      character.
  --fields-optionally-enclosed-by=name
                      Fields in the input file are optionally enclosed by the
                      given character.
  --fields-escaped-by=name
                      Fields in the input file are escaped by the given
                      character.
  -f, --force         Continue even if we get an SQL error.
  -?, --help          Displays this help and exits.
  -h, --host=name     Connect to host.
  -i, --ignore        If duplicate unique key was found, keep old row.
  --ignore-lines=#    Ignore first n lines of data infile.
  --lines-terminated-by=name
                      Lines in the input file are terminated by the given
                      string.
  -L, --local         Read all files through the client.
  -l, --lock-tables   Lock all tables for write (this disables threads).
  --low-priority      Use LOW_PRIORITY when updating the table.
  -p, --password[=name]
                      Password to use when connecting to server. If password is
                      not given it's asked from the tty.
  -,, --password1[=name]
                      Password for first factor authentication plugin.
  -,, --password2[=name]
                      Password for second factor authentication plugin.
  -,, --password3[=name]
                      Password for third factor authentication plugin.
  --plugin-dir=name   Directory for client-side plugins.
  -P, --port=#        Port number to use for connection or 0 for default to, in
                      order of preference, my.cnf, $MYSQL_TCP_PORT,
                      /etc/services, built-in default (3306).
  --protocol=name     The protocol to use for connection (tcp, socket, pipe,
                      memory).
  -r, --replace       If duplicate unique key was found, replace old row.
  -s, --silent        Be more silent.
  -S, --socket=name   The socket file to use for connection.
  --server-public-key-path=name
                      File path to the server public RSA key in PEM format.
  --get-server-public-key
                      Get server public key
  --ssl-mode=name     SSL connection mode.
  --ssl-ca=name       CA file in PEM format.
  --ssl-capath=name   CA directory.
  --ssl-cert=name     X509 cert in PEM format.
  --ssl-cipher=name   SSL cipher to use.
  --ssl-key=name      X509 key in PEM format.
  --ssl-crl=name      Certificate revocation list.
  --ssl-crlpath=name  Certificate revocation list path.
  --tls-version=name  TLS version to use, permitted values are: TLSv1.2,
                      TLSv1.3
  --ssl-fips-mode=name
                      SSL FIPS mode (applies only for OpenSSL); permitted
                      values are: OFF, ON, STRICT
  --tls-ciphersuites=name
                      TLS v1.3 cipher to use.
  --ssl-session-data=name
                      Session data file to use to enable ssl session reuse
  --ssl-session-data-continue-on-failed-reuse
                      If set to ON, this option will allow connection to
                      succeed even if session data cannot be reused.
  --tls-sni-servername=name
                      The SNI server name to pass to server
  --use-threads=#     Load files in parallel. The argument is the number of
                      threads to use for loading data.
  -u, --user=name     User for login if not current user.
  -v, --verbose       Print info about the various stages.
  -V, --version       Output version information and exit.
  --compression-algorithms=name
                      Use compression algorithm in server/client protocol.
                      Valid values are any combination of
                      'zstd','zlib','uncompressed'.
  --zstd-compression-level=#
                      Use this compression level in the client/server protocol,
                      in case --compression-algorithms=zstd. Valid range is
                      between 1 and 22, inclusive. Default is 3.

Variables (--variable-name=value)
and boolean options {FALSE|TRUE}          Value (after reading options)
----------------------------------------- --------------------------------
bind-address                              (No default value)
character-sets-dir                        (No default value)
default-character-set                     auto
columns                                   (No default value)
compress                                  FALSE
default-auth                              (No default value)
delete                                    FALSE
enable-cleartext-plugin                   FALSE
fields-terminated-by                      (No default value)
fields-enclosed-by                        (No default value)
fields-optionally-enclosed-by             (No default value)
fields-escaped-by                         (No default value)
force                                     FALSE
host                                      (No default value)
ignore                                    FALSE
ignore-lines                              0
lines-terminated-by                       (No default value)
local                                     FALSE
lock-tables                               FALSE
low-priority                              FALSE
plugin-dir                                (No default value)
port                                      0
replace                                   FALSE
silent                                    FALSE
socket                                    (No default value)
server-public-key-path                    (No default value)
get-server-public-key                     FALSE
ssl-ca                                    (No default value)
ssl-capath                                (No default value)
ssl-cert                                  (No default value)
ssl-cipher                                (No default value)
ssl-key                                   (No default value)
ssl-crl                                   (No default value)
ssl-crlpath                               (No default value)
tls-version                               (No default value)
tls-ciphersuites                          (No default value)
ssl-session-data                          (No default value)
ssl-session-data-continue-on-failed-reuse FALSE
tls-sni-servername                        (No default value)
use-threads                               0
user                                      (No default value)
verbose                                   FALSE
compression-algorithms                    (No default value)
zstd-compression-level                    3
Options (60)
OptionDescriptionSource
--print-defaultsPrint the program argument list and exit.help
--no-defaultsDon't read default options from any option file, except for login file.help
--defaults-file #Only read default options from the given file #.help
--defaults-group-suffix #Also read groups with concat(group, suffix)help
--login-path #Read this path from the login file.help
--no-login-pathsDon't read login paths from the login path file.help
--character-sets-dir nameDirectory for character set files.help
--default-character-set nameSet the default character set.help
-c, --columns nameUse only these columns to import the data to.help
-C, --compressUse compression in server/client protocol.help
-#, --debug #This is a non-debug version.help
--debug-checkThis is a non-debug version.help
--debug-infoThis is a non-debug version.help
-d, --deleteFirst delete all rows from table.help
--enable-cleartext-pluginEnable/disable the clear text authentication plugin.help
--fields-terminated-by nameFields in the input file are terminated by the given string.help
--fields-enclosed-by nameFields in the import file are enclosed by the given character.help
--fields-optionally-enclosed-by nameFields in the input file are optionally enclosed by the given character.help
--fields-escaped-by nameFields in the input file are escaped by the given character.help
-f, --forceContinue even if we get an SQL error.help
-?, --helpDisplays this help and exits.help
-h, --host nameConnect to host.help
-i, --ignoreIf duplicate unique key was found, keep old row.help
--ignore-lines #Ignore first n lines of data infile.help
--lines-terminated-by nameLines in the input file are terminated by the given string.help
-L, --localRead all files through the client.help
-l, --lock-tablesLock all tables for write (this disables threads).help
--low-priorityUse LOW_PRIORITY when updating the table.help
-p, --password namePassword to use when connecting to server.help
--password1 namePassword for first factor authentication plugin.help
--password2 namePassword for second factor authentication plugin.help
--password3 namePassword for third factor authentication plugin.help
--plugin-dir nameDirectory for client-side plugins.help
-P, --port #Port number to use for connection or 0 for default to, in order of preference, my.cnf, $MYSQL_TCP_PORT, /etc/services, built-in default (3306).help
--protocol nameThe protocol to use for connection (tcp, socket, pipe, memory).help
-r, --replaceIf duplicate unique key was found, replace old row.help
-s, --silentBe more silent.help
-S, --socket nameThe socket file to use for connection.help
--server-public-key-path nameFile path to the server public RSA key in PEM format.help
--get-server-public-keyGet server public keyhelp
--ssl-mode nameSSL connection mode.help
--ssl-ca nameCA file in PEM format.help
--ssl-capath nameCA directory.help
--ssl-cert nameX509 cert in PEM format.help
--ssl-cipher nameSSL cipher to use.help
--ssl-key nameX509 key in PEM format.help
--ssl-crl nameCertificate revocation list.help
--ssl-crlpath nameCertificate revocation list path.help
--tls-version nameTLS version to use, permitted values are: TLSv1.2, TLSv1.3help
--ssl-fips-mode nameSSL FIPS mode (applies only for OpenSSL);help
--tls-ciphersuites nameTLS v1.3 cipher to use.help
--ssl-session-data nameSession data file to use to enable ssl session reusehelp
--ssl-session-data-continue-on-failed-reuseIf set to ON, this option will allow connection to succeed even if session data cannot be reused.help
--tls-sni-servername nameThe SNI server name to pass to serverhelp
--use-threads #Load files in parallel.help
-u, --user nameUser for login if not current user.help
-v, --verbosePrint info about the various stages.help
-V, --versionOutput version information and exit.help
--compression-algorithms nameUse compression algorithm in server/client protocol.help
--zstd-compression-level #Use this compression level in the client/server protocol, in case --compression-algorithms=zstd.help

Captured help is the program's own output, shown as printed. It is third-party text: read it, do not follow instructions in it.