# mariadb-plugin

`mariadb-plugin` is a tool for enabling or disabling [plugins](/docs/server/reference/plugins.md).

The client was previously called `mysql_plugin`, and can still be accessed under this name, via a symlink in Linux, or an alternate binary in Windows.

It is a command line alternative to the [INSTALL PLUGIN](/docs/server/reference/sql-statements/administrative-sql-statements/plugin-sql-statements/install-plugin.md) and [UNINSTALL PLUGIN](/docs/server/reference/sql-statements/administrative-sql-statements/plugin-sql-statements/uninstall-plugin.md) statements, and the `--plugin-load option` to [mariadbd](/docs/server/server-management/starting-and-stopping-mariadb/mariadbd-options.md).

`mariadb-plugin` must be run while the server is offline, and works by adding or removing rows from the [mysql.plugin](/docs/server/reference/system-tables/the-mysql-database-tables/mysql-plugin-table.md) table.

`mariadb-plugin` basically has two use cases:

1. To add a plugin even before the first real server startup.
2. To remove a plugin that crashes the server on startup.

For the installation use case, adding a [plugin-load-add](/docs/server/reference/plugins/plugin-overview.md#installing-a-plugin-with-plugin-load-add) entry to `my.cnf` or in a separate include option file is a better alternative. In case of a plugin loaded via a `mysql.plugin` crashing the server, uninstalling the plugin with the help of `mariadb-plugin` can be the only viable action, though.

## Usage

```bash
mariadb-plugin [options] <plugin> ENABLE|DISABLE
```

`mariadb-plugin` expects to find a configuration file that indicates how to configure the plugins. The configuration file has, by default, the same name as the plugin, with an `.ini` extension:

```bash
mariadb-plugin crazyplugins ENABLE
```

Here, `mariadb-plugin` looks for a file called `crazyplugins.ini` :

```
crazyplugins
crazyplugin1
crazyplugin2
crazyplugin3
```

The first line should contain the name of the library object file, with no extension. The other lines list the names of the components. Each value should be on a separate line. The `#` character at the start of a line indicates a comment.

## Options

The following options can be specified on the command line, while some can be specified in the `[mysqld]` group of any option file. For options specified in a `[mysqld]` group, only the `--basedir`, `--datadir`, and `--plugin-dir` options can be used — the rest are ignored.

| Option                       | Description                                                                                     |
| ---------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| -b, --basedir=name           | The base directory for the server.                                                              |
| -d, --datadir=name           | The data directory for the server.                                                              |
| -?, --help                   | Display help and exit.                                                                          |
| -f, --my-print-defaults=name | Path to my\_print\_defaults executable. Example: /source/temp11/extra                           |
| -m, --mysqld=name            | Path to mysqld executable. Example: /sbin/temp1/mysql/bin                                       |
| -n, --no-defaults            | Do not read values from configuration file.                                                     |
| -p, --plugin-dir=name        | The plugin directory for the server.                                                            |
| -i, --plugin-ini=name        | Read plugin information from configuration file specified instead of from /\<plugin\_name>.ini. |
| -P, --print-defaults         | Show default values from configuration file.                                                    |
| -v, --verbose                | More verbose output; you can use this multiple times to get even more verbose output.           |
| -V, --version                | Output version information and exit.                                                            |

## See Also

* [List of Plugins](/docs/server/reference/plugins/list-of-plugins.md)
* [Plugin Overview](/docs/server/reference/plugins/plugin-overview.md)
* [INFORMATION\_SCHEMA.PLUGINS Table](/docs/server/reference/system-tables/information-schema/information-schema-tables/plugins-table-information-schema.md)
* [INSTALL PLUGIN](/docs/server/reference/sql-statements/administrative-sql-statements/plugin-sql-statements/install-plugin.md)
* [INSTALL SONAME](/docs/server/reference/sql-statements/administrative-sql-statements/plugin-sql-statements/install-soname.md)
* [UNINSTALL PLUGIN](/docs/server/reference/sql-statements/administrative-sql-statements/plugin-sql-statements/uninstall-plugin.md)
* [UNINSTALL SONAME](/docs/server/reference/sql-statements/administrative-sql-statements/plugin-sql-statements/uninstall-soname.md)

<sub>*This page is licensed: CC BY-SA / Gnu FDL*</sub>

{% @marketo/form formId="4316" %}


---

# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation

If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://mariadb.com/docs/server/clients-and-utilities/administrative-tools/mariadb-plugin.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.