MySQL - Point-in-Time Recovery (PITR) in MySQL

1. What is Point-in-Time Recovery?

• Definition: Point-in-Time Recovery (PITR) lets you restore your MySQL database to an exact moment in the past, not just the time of your last full backup.

• Useful when:

  • Someone accidentally deletes or updates data.

  • A bug corrupts your records.

  • You want to undo changes that happened after a specific timestamp.

2. How PITR Works

PITR in MySQL is based on two things:

1. Full Backup (e.g., with mysqldump or mysqlpump or physical backup tools like Percona XtraBackup).

2. Binary Logs (binlogs) — these logs record every change (INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE) after the backup.