Database Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 15. Bulk Importing Data
You might be asked one day to create a MySQL or MariaDB database that will replace an
existing database that uses a different database system — or some other format used for
storing data. Or you might be asked to take the data from an application that was not de-
signed for databases, like a spreadsheet. So that you don't have to manually enter the data,
there are ways you can import it. This chapter explains how to bulk import data into a data-
base.
When using other applications, export the data from the source application to a format that
MySQL can read, such as a text file containing data separated by particular characters. If
you're given a large amount of data to import, hopefully it will already be well organized
and in a data text file. Then you can usethe
LOAD DATA INFILE
statement to import
the data.
This isn't an overly difficult task, but the processing of large amounts of data can be intim-
idating the first time. It can be a barrier to migrating data to MySQL and MariaDB. There
are many nuances to consider for a clean import, which is especially important if you want
to automate the process. There may also be restraints to consider when importing data onto
a server provided by a web hosting company. We'll cover all of these in this chapter.
