What are the advantages of using mysqldump over custom PHP scripts for database backups?

Using mysqldump for database backups has several advantages over custom PHP scripts. Mysqldump is a command-line tool specifically designed for exporting MySQL databases, making it more efficient and reliable than custom PHP scripts. Mysqldump also ensures data consistency and integrity during the backup process, as it handles locking and transactions automatically. Additionally, mysqldump simplifies the backup process by providing options for compressing and encrypting the backup file. 

// Example PHP code snippet for running mysqldump command
$host = 'localhost';
$user = 'username';
$pass = 'password';
$db_name = 'database_name';
$output_file = 'backup.sql';

// Run mysqldump command to export the database
exec("mysqldump -h$host -u$user -p$pass $db_name > $output_file");

Keywords

mysqldump PHP scripts database backups advantages comparison

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