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Percona Software for MySQL Documentation
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Quickstart overview

Percona XtraBackup performs online, non-blocking physical backups for Percona Server for MySQL and MySQL databases. This quickstart guide uses Docker to demonstrate backup and restore operations.

For alternative installation methods, see Installation.

Why use Docker for this quickstart

Docker containers isolate applications from the host system. Running Percona XtraBackup in a container provides the following benefits:

  • No installation required on the host system

  • Consistent environment across different operating systems

  • Complete removal leaves no residual files

For production deployments, see Installation for package-based installation options.

Supported configurations

Verify your environment meets the following requirements before starting.

Supported servers

Percona XtraBackup 8.4 supports the following MySQL-compatible servers:

  • MySQL Server

  • Percona Server for MySQL

  • Percona XtraDB Cluster

Supported storage engines

Percona XtraBackup 8.4 supports the following storage engines:

  • InnoDB

  • MyISAM

  • MyRocks

  • XtraDB

Version requirements

Percona XtraBackup 8.4 requires databases created with the 8.4 series or later. Databases created with earlier MySQL, Percona Server for MySQL, or Percona XtraDB Cluster versions are not supported.

For detailed version compatibility information, see Server and backup version comparison.

Prerequisites

Both learning paths require Docker installed on your system. Each tutorial includes specific setup instructions for Percona Server for MySQL.

Choose your learning path

This quickstart offers two paths based on your experience level and goals:

Path Best for Time Topics covered
Basic quickstart First-time users learning core concepts 15-20 min Single backup, restore, validation
Docker Compose tutorial Production-oriented users 30-40 min Backup profiles, validation testing, disaster recovery

Basic quickstart

The basic quickstart teaches core Percona XtraBackup operations using individual Docker commands:

  • Create a backup volume

  • Take and prepare a full backup

  • Restore a backup to a new container

  • Validate restored data

Docker Compose tutorial

The Docker Compose tutorial demonstrates a production-ready backup workflow with separate services for backup, validation, and restore:

  • Configure Docker Compose with backup profiles

  • Validate backups before relying on them for recovery

  • Simulate a disaster scenario

  • Execute a complete restore operation

  • Understand file permission requirements

Terminology

This quickstart uses the following terms:

Term Definition
Container The Docker container running Percona XtraBackup or Percona Server
Instance The MySQL database server process running inside a container
Volume Docker persistent storage that survives container restarts
Prepared backup A backup with transaction logs applied, ready for restoration

For additional terminology, see Glossary.