# General Query Log The general query log is a log of every SQL query received from a client, as well as each client connect and disconnect. Since it's a record of every query received by the server, it can grow large quite quickly. However, if you only want a record of queries that change data, it might be better to use the [binary log](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/server-management/server-monitoring-logs/binary-log) instead. One important difference is that the [binary log](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/server-management/server-monitoring-logs/binary-log) only logs a query when the transaction is committed by the server, but the general query log logs a query immediately when it is received by the server. ## Enabling the General Query Log The general query log is disabled by default. To enable the general query log, set the [general\_log](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/variables-and-modes/server-system-variables#general_log) system variable to `1`. It can be changed dynamically with [SET GLOBAL](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/reference/sql-statements/administrative-sql-statements/set-commands/set#global-session). For example: ``` SET GLOBAL general_log=1; ``` It can also be set in a server [option group](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/install-and-upgrade-mariadb/configuring-mariadb/configuring-mariadb-with-option-files#option-groups) in an [option file](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/server-management/install-and-upgrade-mariadb/configuring-mariadb/configuring-mariadb-with-option-files) prior to starting up the server. For example: ``` [mariadb] ... general_log ``` ## Configuring the General Query Log Filename By default, the general query log is written to `${hostname}.log` in the [datadir](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/variables-and-modes/server-system-variables#datadir) directory. However, this can be changed. One way to configure the general query log filename is to set the [general\_log\_file](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/variables-and-modes/server-system-variables#general_log_file) system variable. It can be changed dynamically with [SET GLOBAL](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/reference/sql-statements/administrative-sql-statements/set-commands/set#global-session). For example: ``` SET GLOBAL general_log_file='mariadb.log'; ``` It can also be set in a server [option group](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/install-and-upgrade-mariadb/configuring-mariadb/configuring-mariadb-with-option-files#option-groups) in an [option file](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/server-management/install-and-upgrade-mariadb/configuring-mariadb/configuring-mariadb-with-option-files) prior to starting up the server. For example: ``` [mariadb] ... general_log general_log_file=mariadb.log ``` If it is a relative path, then the [general\_log\_file](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/variables-and-modes/server-system-variables#general_log_file) is relative to the [datadir](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/variables-and-modes/server-system-variables#datadir) directory. However, the [general\_log\_file](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/variables-and-modes/server-system-variables#general_log_file) system variable can also be an absolute path. For example: ``` [mariadb] ... general_log general_log_file=/var/log/mysql/mariadb.log ``` Another way to configure the general query log filename is to set the [log-basename](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/starting-and-stopping-mariadb/mariadbd-options#log-basename) option, which configures MariaDB to use a common prefix for all log files (e.g. general query log, [slow query log](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/server-management/server-monitoring-logs/slow-query-log), [error log](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/server-management/server-monitoring-logs/error-log), [binary logs](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/server-management/server-monitoring-logs/binary-log), etc.). The general query log filename will be built by adding a `.log` extension to this prefix. This option cannot be set dynamically. It can be set in a server [option group](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/install-and-upgrade-mariadb/configuring-mariadb/configuring-mariadb-with-option-files#option-groups) in an [option file](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/server-management/install-and-upgrade-mariadb/configuring-mariadb/configuring-mariadb-with-option-files) prior to starting up the server. For example: ``` [mariadb] ... log-basename=mariadb general_log ``` The [log-basename](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/starting-and-stopping-mariadb/mariadbd-options#log-basename) cannot be an absolute path. The log file name is relative to the [datadir](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/variables-and-modes/server-system-variables#datadir) directory. ## Choosing the General Query Log Output Destination The general query log can either be written to a file on disk, or it can be written to the [general\_log](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/reference/system-tables/the-mysql-database-tables/mysqlgeneral_log-table) table in the [mysql](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/reference/system-tables/the-mysql-database-tables) database. To choose the general query log output destination, set the [log\_output](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/variables-and-modes/server-system-variables#log_output) system variable. ### Writing the General Query Log to a File The general query log is output to a file by default. However, it can be explicitly chosen by setting the [log\_output](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/variables-and-modes/server-system-variables#log_output) system variable to `FILE`. It can be changed dynamically with [SET GLOBAL](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/reference/sql-statements/administrative-sql-statements/set-commands/set#global-session). For example: ``` SET GLOBAL log_output='FILE'; ``` It can also be set in a server [option group](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/install-and-upgrade-mariadb/configuring-mariadb/configuring-mariadb-with-option-files#option-groups) in an [option file](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/server-management/install-and-upgrade-mariadb/configuring-mariadb/configuring-mariadb-with-option-files) prior to starting up the server. For example: ``` [mariadb] ... log_output=FILE general_log general_log_file=queries.log ``` ### Writing the General Query Log to a Table The general query log can either be written to the [general\_log](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/reference/system-tables/the-mysql-database-tables/mysqlgeneral_log-table) table in the [mysql](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/reference/system-tables/the-mysql-database-tables) database by setting the [log\_output](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/variables-and-modes/server-system-variables#log_output) system variable to `TABLE`. It can be changed dynamically with [SET GLOBAL](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/reference/sql-statements/administrative-sql-statements/set-commands/set#global-session). For example: ``` SET GLOBAL log_output='TABLE'; ``` It can also be set in a server [option group](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/install-and-upgrade-mariadb/configuring-mariadb/configuring-mariadb-with-option-files#option-groups) in an [option file](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/server-management/install-and-upgrade-mariadb/configuring-mariadb/configuring-mariadb-with-option-files) prior to starting up the server. For example: ``` [mariadb] ... log_output=TABLE general_log ``` Some rows in this table might look like this: ``` SELECT * FROM mysql.general_log\G *************************** 1. row *************************** event_time: 2014-11-11 08:40:04.117177 user_host: root[root] @ localhost [] thread_id: 74 server_id: 1 command_type: Query argument: SELECT * FROM test.s *************************** 2. row *************************** event_time: 2014-11-11 08:40:10.501131 user_host: root[root] @ localhost [] thread_id: 74 server_id: 1 command_type: Query argument: SELECT * FROM mysql.general_log ... ``` See [Writing logs into tables](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/server-management/server-monitoring-logs/writing-logs-into-tables) for more information. #### Formal Specification (File Format) When the General Query Log is written to a file, it follows a positional format. For tool developers (e.g., Fluentd, Logstash), it is important to treat this log as a continuous stream of events that can contain multi-line data. **Template:** `Timestamp ThreadID Command Argument` | Field | Component | Data Type | Description | | ----- | --------- | ------------------ | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **1** | Timestamp | `DateTime` | The time the query was received. Format varies by version (e.g., `yymmdd h:mm:ss` or ISO 8601). | | **2** | Thread ID | `Unsigned Integer` | The standardized connection identifier. This matches the `Thread ID` field in the Error Log and Slow Query Log. | | **3** | Command | `String` | The command type (e.g., `Connect`, `Query`, `Quit`, `Prepare`). | | **4** | Argument | `String` | The raw SQL statement or command details. | **Parsing Considerations for Tool Developers** * **Multi-line SQL:** The `Argument` field contains the literal SQL query received by the server. Because SQL queries often contain newlines, a single log entry can span multiple lines. Parsers must be configured to handle multiline events, typically by identifying a new record when a line begins with a valid timestamp. * **Standardized Identification:** While the log file header may label the second column as `Id`, it is functionally identical to the `thread_id` found in system tables (e.g., `mysql.general_log`) and the `Thread ID` in other server logs. * **Immediate Logging:** Unlike the Binary Log, which logs at commit time, the General Query Log records queries immediately upon receipt. ## Disabling the General Query Log for a Session A user with the [SUPER](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/reference/sql-statements/account-management-sql-statements/grant#global-privileges) privilege can disable logging to the general query log for a connection by setting the [SQL\_LOG\_OFF](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/variables-and-modes/server-system-variables#sql_log_off) system variable to `1`. For example: ``` SET SESSION SQL_LOG_OFF=1; ``` ## Disabling the General Query Log for Specific Statements In [MariaDB 10.3.1](https://app.gitbook.com/s/aEnK0ZXmUbJzqQrTjFyb/community-server/old-releases/10.3/10.3.1) and later, it is possible to disable logging to the general query log for specific types of statements by setting the [log\_disabled\_statements](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/variables-and-modes/server-system-variables#log_disabled_statements) system variable. This option cannot be set dynamically. It can be set in a server [option group](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/install-and-upgrade-mariadb/configuring-mariadb/configuring-mariadb-with-option-files#option-groups) in an [option file](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/server-management/install-and-upgrade-mariadb/configuring-mariadb/configuring-mariadb-with-option-files) prior to starting up the server. For example: ``` [mariadb] ... log_output=FILE general_log general_log_file=queries.log log_disabled_statements='slave,sp' ``` ## Rotating the General Query Log on Unix and Linux Unix and Linux distributions offer the [logrotate](https://linux.die.net/man/8/logrotate) utility, which makes it very easy to rotate log files. See [Rotating Logs on Unix and Linux](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/server-management/server-monitoring-logs/rotating-logs-on-unix-and-linux) for more information on how to use this utility to rotate the general query log. ## See Also * [MariaDB audit plugin](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/reference/plugins/mariadb-audit-plugin) *This page is licensed: CC BY-SA / Gnu FDL* {% @marketo/form formId="4316" %}