Should I shutdown mysql before dumping a database?

[DaBuzz]

Should I shut down mysql before I run mysql dump to ensure that my database doesn't get corrupted on the way out due to it being written to during the dump?

[Me2Be]

I usually do - just to be on the safe side :)

[Mike Sullivan]

MySQL does "hot" dumps by locking the tables it's reading to my knowledge, so you don't HAVE to shut it down.

And any write command locks the table, so MySQL won't be able to issue another lock command for the dump until the first lock it gone, so I don't think that's a problem either.

Although, if you want to be 100% safe... :)