MySQL Master-Slave replication works by recording data changes in the master's binary log and replaying them on the slave. 1. The master logs all data modifications (excluding SELECT queries) into the binary log, which must be enabled via log-bin=mysql-bin and assigned a unique server_id. 2. The slave uses an IO thread to fetch binary log events from the master and stores them in its relay log. 3. The SQL thread on the slave then reads the relay log and applies the changes to its own database. 4. To set up replication, configure binary logging on the master, create a replication user with REPLICATION SLAVE privilege, assign a unique server_id to each slave, use CHANGE MASTER TO to establish the connection, and start replication with START SLAVE. 5. Firewalls must allow traffic on port 3306, and replication errors—such as duplicate keys or missing tables—must be resolved manually, as MySQL does not handle conflicts automatically. Monitoring replication status using SHOW SLAVE STATUS\G is essential for ensuring smooth operation.
MySQL Master-Slave replication works by copying data changes from one database server (the master) to one or more other servers (the slaves). The core idea is to keep the slave databases in sync with the master, allowing for read scaling, backup redundancy, and failover support.
Here’s how it actually works under the hood:
Binary Log: The Source of Truth
MySQL uses a mechanism called the binary log on the master server. Every change made to the database — like inserts, updates, deletes, or schema changes — gets recorded here in either statement-based, row-based, or mixed format.
- The binary log doesn’t store SELECT queries because they don’t change data.
- It acts as a ledger of all modifications that need to be replayed on the slave.
You have to enable binary logging explicitly in your MySQL configuration file (my.cnf
or my.ini
) with:
log-bin=mysql-bin
Also, each server must have a unique server_id
, including the master and each slave.
Replication Threads: IO and SQL Threads on Slave
Once the master logs the changes, the slave needs to fetch and apply them. This is handled through two dedicated threads:
- IO Thread: Connects to the master and requests the binary log events. It pulls the changes and stores them locally in the relay log on the slave.
- SQL Thread: Reads from the relay log and replays (executes) those events on the slave database.
This separation allows the network I/O and query execution to run independently, which helps performance and troubleshooting.
You can check the status of these threads using:
SHOW SLAVE STATUS\G
Look at fields like Slave_IO_Running
and Slave_SQL_Running
.
Steps to Set Up Basic Replication
Setting up replication involves several steps, but here are the essentials:
- Enable binary logging on the master and assign a unique
server_id
. - Create a dedicated replication user on the master with the
REPLICATION SLAVE
privilege. - On the slave, configure a unique
server_id
and connect using theCHANGE MASTER TO
command with the master’s host, port, user, password, and binary log position. - Start the replication process with
START SLAVE;
.
Make sure firewalls allow traffic between the servers on the MySQL port (default 3306).
Replication is powerful but not automatic in terms of conflict handling or consistency checks. If the SQL thread runs into an error (like duplicate keys or missing tables), replication stops until you resolve the issue manually.
So while the principle behind MySQL Master-Slave replication is straightforward, setting it up correctly and monitoring it regularly is key to avoiding issues down the line.
That's basically how it works — nothing too magical, just carefully coordinated logging and replaying of events.
The above is the detailed content of What is the principle behind MySQL Master-Slave replication?. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!

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