digikam mysql-bin files

[Gilles Caulier]

Hi Steve,

The files you're referring to are binary log files used by MariaDB (or
MySQL) for replication and certain data recovery operations. They are
not specific to digiKam but are instead a feature of the database
system that digiKam uses.

Here's a brief explanation of these files:

Binary Logs (binlogs): These logs record all data changes in the
database, which can be used for replication and point-in-time
recovery. Each log file is assigned a sequential number, and the files
can accumulate over time.

Given that these files are taking up a significant amount of space,
you might want to manage them. Here are some steps you can take:

Check if Binary Logging is Necessary: If you are not using replication
or point-in-time recovery, you might not need binary logging at all.
You can disable binary logging in your MariaDB configuration file
(my.cnf or my.ini).

Purge Old Binary Logs: If you need binary logging, you can still purge
old logs that are no longer necessary. MariaDB provides commands to do
this safely:

PURGE BINARY LOGS BEFORE '2024-01-01 00:00:00';

This command will delete all binary log files created before the
specified date and time.

Set an Expiration Period: You can configure MariaDB to automatically
purge binary logs after a certain period. This can be done by setting
the expire_logs_days variable in your MariaDB configuration file.

Backup and Remove: Before deleting any files manually, ensure you have
a complete backup of your database. If you decide to manually remove
the files, you should also update the binary log index file to reflect
the changes.

Consult Documentation: Always refer to the official MariaDB
documentation or consult with a database administrator to ensure you
are following best practices for your specific setup.

If you are unsure about any of these steps, it might be best to
consult with someone who has experience with MariaDB administration to
avoid any potential data loss or corruption...

My best

Gilles Caulier


Le ven. 11 juil. 2025 à 17:48, Steve Franks <stevef48 at gmail.com> a écrit :
>
> My PC has 357 pairs of files named mysql-bin.999999 and  mysql-bin.99999.bin in the digikam\.mysql.digikam\db_data folder.These are taking up 51.5GB on my SSD so I would like to remove any that are not necessary.
> Is this a digikam issue, or MariaDB? Are they all necessary? Are any of them necessary?
> Thanks in advance,
> Steve