Complete Guide to Optimizing or Repairing a Drupal Database

A database is at the core of any website. It stores all the information and data needed to run a website successfully. In the case of Drupal, it uses MySQL database by default to power the website. But over time, they may get damaged or corrputed with use.

To ensure superior performance, you need to optimize or repair it. In this article, we explain how you can do that step by step.

Step by Step Process

Here are the steps you need to take to optimize and repair a Drupal database:

• Install the Required Modules for Drupal 8 Database Repair

The first step is to download all the required modules to be used for database repairing. For managing a MySQL database, hosting companies already offer phpMyAdmin.

Besides that, the modules you need to install are:
These two modules will enable you to run phpMyAdmin commands from the CMS itself. You no longer have to follow the web server route.

To upload the modules onto your website, use FTP, or the Drupal 8 Administration, or Drush as per your preference.

Navigate into /admin/modules/install

Then, start uploading the downloaded files to CMS. Once complete, go to /admin/modules. Enable both the modules to start using.

• Run Diagnostics & Repair Modules with DB Maintenance

The next step is to open and utilize the DB Maintenance module. This modules operates on every cron run. It analyzes the MySQL database for potential errors and splits. Then, it takes necessary measures to repair them.

To start using the DB Maintenance module, open this directory : /admin/config/system/db_maintenance

You need to select “Daily” option for Operation time table and then the “Optimize all Tables” button. Save the changes and exit.

For a quick optimization of your database, click on “Optimize Now”.

• Run Dignostics & Repair with OptimizeDB

The next step is to run certain actions with OptimizeDB module. It is an advanced module that is capable of optimizing all the tables of a database. Besides that, it can check and repair operation with tables and clean the cache_from in admin pages by cron.

Another benefit of OptimizeDB is it can also work with PostgreSQL database formats.

To start using the module and run Dignostics and Repair, open this directory - /admin/config/development/optimizedb

Within this section, you’ll find an option “Optimize Tables”. Click on it to start the optimization process.

You’ll also find links to view the tables that are installed on your Drupal website. That’d be really helpful in development and debugging.

• Repair Tables with OptimizeDB

The fourth step is to use OptimizeDB and optimize the tables and perform advanced tasks.

First, you have to navigate to /admin/config/development/optimizedb/list_tables

Here, you’ll see a list of all the available tables. You can select any table and perform operations using OptimizeDB to check, repair, and optimize that table. Repeat for as many tables as you want.

• Check MySQL Status

The final step is to check the MySQL status after optimizing the tables. You can do that by using phpMyAdmin (or phpPgAdmin if you’re using PostgreSQL).

So log in to your admin panel and then open phpMyAdmin. Then, open the Drupal 8 databases. Then, open “Status” tab.

Under this tab, you can access real-time information about the health of your database. You can check connections, errors in operations, and data transfers.

There’s also diagnostics for MySQL Databases. These will help you get feedback regarding the functioning of the database and error reports.

There are also a host of other options in phpMyAdmin for further optimizing the performance of your database. Review them and use the ones that you feel are necessary.

So that’s how you can optimize and repair your Drupal database. For futher assistance, get in touch with the support team.