---
name: "mariadb-install-db"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "mariadb"
version: "13.0.2-2"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/mariadb-install-db"
---

# mariadb-install-db(1)

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

## NAME

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

## SYNOPSIS

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

## 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 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

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

## AUTHOR

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