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Database Mysql Operations Interview Questions

75 verified Database Mysql Operations interview questions — solve with answers, learn from explanations, test yourself in a real simulation.

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Sample questions

Mysql OperationsDifficulty 1
What does mysqldump produce by default?
  • aA raw binary copy of InnoDB's .ibd data files
  • bA compressed snapshot of the entire data directory, including redo logs
  • cA plain-text file of SQL statements (CREATE TABLE, INSERT)
  • dA diff of only the rows changed since the last backup
Explanation:mysqldump is a logical backup tool: it queries the server and writes out SQL statements (schema DDL plus INSERTs) that can recreate the data by replaying them with a client like mysql. It does not copy physical files.
Mysql OperationsDifficulty 1
Which statement grants a user only SELECT privilege on every table in the shop database?
  • aGRANT SELECT ON shop.* TO 'reporter'@'%';
  • bGRANT SELECT ON . TO 'reporter'@'%' DATABASE shop;
  • cALLOW SELECT shop.* TO 'reporter'@'%';
  • dCREATE USER 'reporter'@'%' PRIVILEGE SELECT ON shop.*;
Explanation:MySQL privilege grants use GRANT <privilege(s)> ON <db>.<table> TO 'user'@'host';. shop.* scopes it to every table inside the shop database. The other forms are not valid MySQL syntax.
Mysql OperationsDifficulty 1
What kind of information does information_schema expose?
  • aRow-by-row query execution timings for the currently running statement
  • bMetadata about databases, tables, columns, and indexes
  • cA live list of every lock currently held, refreshed every second
  • dHistorical CPU and disk usage graphs for the MySQL process
Explanation:information_schema is MySQL's standard (ANSI SQL-inspired) metadata database — it exposes the data dictionary: which databases, tables, columns, indexes, and constraints exist and their properties. Runtime performance counters live in performance_schema instead.
Mysql OperationsDifficulty 1
What does the max_connections server variable control?
  • aThe maximum number of tables a single query may join
  • bThe maximum number of rows returned by a single SELECT
  • cThe maximum size, in bytes, of the InnoDB buffer pool
  • dThe maximum number of simultaneous client connections the server will accept
Explanation:max_connections caps how many clients can be connected to the MySQL server at once. Once that limit is reached, new connection attempts fail with ERROR 1040: Too many connections. It has nothing to do with join limits, row limits, or buffer pool sizing.
Mysql OperationsDifficulty 1
What is the main purpose of innodb_buffer_pool_size?
  • aIt sizes the in-memory cache InnoDB uses to hold table data and indexes, avoiding disk reads
  • bIt sets how many rows InnoDB may lock at once during a transaction
  • cIt controls how often the binary log is flushed to disk
  • dIt limits how many concurrent ALTER TABLE statements InnoDB can run
Explanation:innodb_buffer_pool_size sizes InnoDB's main memory cache, which holds table and index pages so repeated reads/writes can be served from RAM instead of disk. It's one of the most impactful tuning knobs for InnoDB performance — it doesn't govern locking, binlog flushing, or DDL concurrency.
Mysql OperationsDifficulty 1
Which statement removes a previously granted INSERT privilege from a user, without dropping the user account?
  • aDROP PRIVILEGE INSERT ON shop.* FROM 'app'@'%';
  • bREVOKE INSERT ON shop.* FROM 'app'@'%';
  • cDELETE GRANT INSERT ON shop.* FOR 'app'@'%';
  • dALTER USER 'app'@'%' REMOVE INSERT;
Explanation:REVOKE <privilege> ON <db>.<table> FROM 'user'@'host'; is the counterpart to GRANT — it removes a specific privilege while leaving the user account itself intact. The other syntaxes don't exist in MySQL.

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