mariadb-import in MariaDB
Last updated: 2026-06-24
mariadb-import is the command-line front end for LOAD DATA INFILE: it bulk-loads text files into tables. It does not change LOAD DATA's rules — for the loading semantics (the LOCAL security model, duplicate/strict-mode behavior, escaping), see mariadb-load-data. This skill covers the tool's own quirks. The binary is mariadb-import (mysqlimport is a compatibility symlink).
Default context: Assume MariaDB 11.8 LTS (GA May 2025) unless the user states another version. Anything available in current LTS branches (10.6, 10.11, 11.4, 11.8) is shown without a "since" annotation; only newer-than-10.6 features carry one.
What LLMs Often Miss
| If the agent writes / assumes… |
…prefer the MariaDB form |
Passes the target table as an argument (mariadb-import db mytable file.csv) |
There is no table argument. The table name is the data file's base name, minus directory and extension: users.csv → table users; /data/orders.tsv → table orders. To load into table t, name the file t.<ext>. The first non-option argument is the database |
Expects a .csv file to be parsed as comma-separated |
mariadb-import uses the LOAD DATA defaults — TAB-separated fields, newline-terminated lines — regardless of extension. For real CSV: --fields-terminated-by=, --fields-optionally-enclosed-by='"' |
| Assumes the client reads the file |
Without --local, the server reads the file (server-side path; needs FILE privilege and secure_file_priv compliance). Use --local/-L to have the client read it (LOAD DATA LOCAL INFILE) — subject to the same local_infile enablement caveats. See mariadb-load-data |
Combines --replace and --ignore to "handle dupes safely" |
They are mutually exclusive — the tool errors and exits. Pick -r/--replace (replace the row) or -i/--ignore (keep the existing row) |
Uses --columns to skip a header row, or --ignore-lines to map columns |
They're different jobs: --ignore-lines=N skips N header lines; --columns=c1,c2,… names the target columns. A CSV with a header usually needs both |
Adds --parallel/--use-threads together with --lock-tables |
--lock-tables/-l disables parallelism — the threaded path runs only when locking is off. Don't expect concurrent loads while holding write locks |
Wonders why a UNIQUE constraint didn't fire mid-import |
For speed, mariadb-import wraps each load in DISABLE KEYS/ENABLE KEYS and sets session unique_checks=0 / check_constraint_checks=0. Constraints are validated as keys are re-enabled, not row-by-row |
Assumes the connection charset defaults to latin1 |
The default character set is auto-detected from the client locale, not a fixed latin1. Pass --default-character-set=utf8mb4 to be explicit |
Flags worth knowing
Invocation: mariadb-import [options] database file1 [file2 …] — one LOAD DATA INFILE per file.
| Flag |
Effect |
-L, --local |
Client reads the file (LOAD DATA LOCAL INFILE) |
-r, --replace / -i, --ignore |
Duplicate handling (mutually exclusive) |
-c, --columns=list |
Target column list |
--ignore-lines=N |
Skip the first N lines (header) |
-d, --delete |
DELETE FROM table first (empty before load) |
--fields-terminated-by / --fields-optionally-enclosed-by / --fields-escaped-by / --lines-terminated-by |
Map 1:1 to the LOAD DATA clauses |
-l, --lock-tables |
Write-lock the tables (disables --parallel) |
--low-priority, -k/--ignore-foreign-keys, -f/--force |
Priority / foreign_key_checks=0 / continue past errors |
-j, --parallel=N (since 11.4; synonym --use-threads) |
Up to N concurrent file loads |
--innodb-optimize-keys (since 11.8, on by default) |
Build InnoDB secondary indexes after load |
--dir + --database/--table/--ignore-database/--ignore-table (since 11.6) |
Restore a mariadb-dump --dir directory tree |
# Local CSV with a header row, comma-delimited, quoted fields → table `users` in db `mydb`:
mariadb-import --local \
--fields-terminated-by=, --fields-optionally-enclosed-by='"' \
--ignore-lines=1 \
--user=admin --password mydb ./users.csv
# Replace-on-duplicate, parallel load of several files:
mariadb-import --local --replace --parallel=4 --user=admin --password mydb t1.tsv t2.tsv
See Also
mariadb-load-data — the underlying LOAD DATA [LOCAL] INFILE statement: the LOCAL/local_infile/secure_file_priv security model, duplicate and strict-mode behavior, escaping — all of which mariadb-import inheritsmariadb-dump — the round-trip companion: mariadb-dump --tab / --dir produces the files that mariadb-import (and mariadb-import --dir) load back- Canonical reference on
mariadb.com/docs, consult only for edge cases not covered here: https://mariadb.com/docs/server/clients-and-utilities/backup-restore-and-import-clients/mariadb-import
This page is: Copyright © 2026 MariaDB. All rights reserved.
1---2name: mariadb-import3description: Bulk-load text files into MariaDB tables using the mariadb-import client, covering table-name-from-filename rules, TAB defaults, --local vs server-side reads, duplicate handling, and parallel loads.4---56# mariadb-import in MariaDB78*Last updated: 2026-06-24*910`mariadb-import` is the command-line front end for `LOAD DATA INFILE`: it bulk-loads text files into tables. It does **not** change `LOAD DATA`'s rules — for the loading *semantics* (the `LOCAL` security model, duplicate/strict-mode behavior, escaping), see `mariadb-load-data`. This skill covers the tool's own quirks. The binary is `mariadb-import` (`mysqlimport` is a compatibility symlink).1112> **Default context:** Assume MariaDB **11.8 LTS** (GA May 2025) unless the user states another version. Anything available in current LTS branches (10.6, 10.11, 11.4, 11.8) is shown without a "since" annotation; only newer-than-10.6 features carry one.1314## What LLMs Often Miss1516| If the agent writes / assumes… | …prefer the MariaDB form |17|---|---|18| Passes the target table as an argument (`mariadb-import db mytable file.csv`) | There is **no table argument**. The table name is the data file's **base name**, minus directory and extension: `users.csv` → table `users`; `/data/orders.tsv` → table `orders`. To load into table `t`, name the file `t.<ext>`. The first non-option argument is the **database** |19| Expects a `.csv` file to be parsed as comma-separated | `mariadb-import` uses the `LOAD DATA` defaults — **TAB-separated fields, newline-terminated lines** — regardless of extension. For real CSV: `--fields-terminated-by=, --fields-optionally-enclosed-by='"'` |20| Assumes the client reads the file | Without `--local`, the **server** reads the file (server-side path; needs `FILE` privilege and `secure_file_priv` compliance). Use `--local`/`-L` to have the **client** read it (`LOAD DATA LOCAL INFILE`) — subject to the same `local_infile` enablement caveats. See `mariadb-load-data` |21| Combines `--replace` and `--ignore` to "handle dupes safely" | They are **mutually exclusive** — the tool errors and exits. Pick `-r`/`--replace` (replace the row) or `-i`/`--ignore` (keep the existing row) |22| Uses `--columns` to skip a header row, or `--ignore-lines` to map columns | They're different jobs: `--ignore-lines=N` skips N header lines; `--columns=c1,c2,…` names the target columns. A CSV with a header usually needs **both** |23| Adds `--parallel`/`--use-threads` together with `--lock-tables` | `--lock-tables`/`-l` **disables** parallelism — the threaded path runs only when locking is off. Don't expect concurrent loads while holding write locks |24| Wonders why a `UNIQUE` constraint didn't fire mid-import | For speed, `mariadb-import` wraps each load in `DISABLE KEYS`/`ENABLE KEYS` and sets session `unique_checks=0` / `check_constraint_checks=0`. Constraints are validated as keys are re-enabled, not row-by-row |25| Assumes the connection charset defaults to `latin1` | The default character set is **auto-detected from the client locale**, not a fixed `latin1`. Pass `--default-character-set=utf8mb4` to be explicit |2627## Flags worth knowing2829Invocation: `mariadb-import [options] database file1 [file2 …]` — one `LOAD DATA INFILE` per file.3031| Flag | Effect |32|---|---|33| `-L`, `--local` | Client reads the file (`LOAD DATA LOCAL INFILE`) |34| `-r`, `--replace` / `-i`, `--ignore` | Duplicate handling (mutually exclusive) |35| `-c`, `--columns=list` | Target column list |36| `--ignore-lines=N` | Skip the first N lines (header) |37| `-d`, `--delete` | `DELETE FROM table` first (empty before load) |38| `--fields-terminated-by` / `--fields-optionally-enclosed-by` / `--fields-escaped-by` / `--lines-terminated-by` | Map 1:1 to the `LOAD DATA` clauses |39| `-l`, `--lock-tables` | Write-lock the tables (disables `--parallel`) |40| `--low-priority`, `-k`/`--ignore-foreign-keys`, `-f`/`--force` | Priority / `foreign_key_checks=0` / continue past errors |41| `-j`, `--parallel=N` *(since 11.4; synonym `--use-threads`)* | Up to N concurrent file loads |42| `--innodb-optimize-keys` *(since 11.8, on by default)* | Build InnoDB secondary indexes after load |43| `--dir` + `--database`/`--table`/`--ignore-database`/`--ignore-table` *(since 11.6)* | Restore a `mariadb-dump --dir` directory tree |4445```bash46# Local CSV with a header row, comma-delimited, quoted fields → table `users` in db `mydb`:47mariadb-import --local \48 --fields-terminated-by=, --fields-optionally-enclosed-by='"' \49 --ignore-lines=1 \50 --user=admin --password mydb ./users.csv5152# Replace-on-duplicate, parallel load of several files:53mariadb-import --local --replace --parallel=4 --user=admin --password mydb t1.tsv t2.tsv54```5556## See Also5758- **`mariadb-load-data`** — the underlying `LOAD DATA [LOCAL] INFILE` statement: the `LOCAL`/`local_infile`/`secure_file_priv` security model, duplicate and strict-mode behavior, escaping — all of which `mariadb-import` inherits59- **`mariadb-dump`** — the round-trip companion: `mariadb-dump --tab` / `--dir` produces the files that `mariadb-import` (and `mariadb-import --dir`) load back60- Canonical reference on `mariadb.com/docs`, consult only for edge cases not covered here: <https://mariadb.com/docs/server/clients-and-utilities/backup-restore-and-import-clients/mariadb-import>6162<sub>_This page is: Copyright © 2026 MariaDB. All rights reserved._</sub>
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