Stopping the MariaDB Server: Alternative Methods and Best Practices

Here's a breakdown:

• MariaDB Server: MariaDB is an open-source relational database management system, similar to MySQL.
• mysql.server stop: This is a command typically used on systems where MariaDB is installed using a package manager. It tells the system to stop the MariaDB server process.
• The Problem: The user is having trouble stopping the MariaDB server using the mysql.server stop command.

The response doesn't delve into the code behind the mysql.server stop command, but suggests alternative ways to stop the server process.

Using systemd (common on most Linux distributions):

sudo systemctl stop mariadb.service

Explanation:

• sudo: Grants administrative privileges to run the command.
• systemctl: The system service manager.
• stop: Instructs the service manager to stop the service.
• mariadb.service: The specific service file for MariaDB.

Using mysqladmin (works on various systems):

sudo mysqladmin shutdown

• sudo: Grants administrative privileges to run the command.
• mysqladmin: A MariaDB administrative tool.
• shutdown: Instructs the MariaDB server to shut down.

Additional Notes:

• Remember to replace sudo with your administrator password if prompted.

Using init script (older systems):

If you're on an older system that might not use systemd, you can try using the init script:

sudo service mysql stop

Replace mysql with the actual service name for MariaDB on your system (it might be mariadb instead).

Stopping the process directly (NOT RECOMMENDED):

This method is not recommended as it can lead to data corruption if the server is actively processing queries. Use it only as a last resort if other methods fail.

• Identify the MariaDB process ID (PID):

ps aux | grep mysql

This will list running processes. Look for entries related to mysql and identify the PID (a numeric identifier).

• Stop the process using the PID:

sudo kill <PID>

Sending a signal (NOT RECOMMENDED):

Similar to the previous method, sending a signal directly to the process can be risky. Use with caution:

sudo killall -INT mysqld

This sends an interrupt (INT) signal to the mysqld process, which might initiate a graceful shutdown.