What happens if I remove this mysql file?

Question

/var/log/mysql/mysql-bin.log

Will it re-create?

Answer 1

If you just move/remove it, you will probably be stuck with an open file handle that keeps getting written to, but you will no longer see the file.

This is a binary log, which is used for replication, and you can also use them for things like incremental backups as it keeps a history of all transactions.

If you don't want the file there, you have to comment out the my.cnf line that says

log-bin=/var/log/mysql/mysql-bin.log

Then restart (or reload) MySQL. As long as it isn't actively using it, you are then safe to remove it.

Answer 2

mysql-bin.log or whatever it is called contains data necessary for replication or recovery. If you are not using replication and your database is intact, you (probably) won't need it and if you remove it and restart mysql it will start filling up again from that point on (without magically restoring the deleted logs, of course).

From the docs,

The binary log contains all statements that update data or potentially could have updated it [...] The binary log has two important purposes:

• For replication, the binary log is used on master replication servers as a record of the statements to be sent to slave servers.[...]

• Certain data recovery operations require use of the binary log. [...]

[...]

If you are using replication, you should not delete old binary log files on the master until you are sure that no slave still needs to use them.

Read the documentation yourself before proceeding.

Answer 3

It will disappear, and MySQL will probably report errors. It will appear again when you restart MySQL.

If you doesn't use mySQL replication it's safe to turn off binary logs: A client that has the SUPER privilege can disable binary logging of its own statements by using a SET sql_log_bin=0 statement.