DUMP

DUMP

Introduction and Use Case(s)

The DUMP command in Redis is used to serialize a given key and return the serialized value. This command is particularly useful for migrating data between different Redis instances or for creating backups. It helps in efficiently exporting Redis data without having to copy entire databases.

Syntax

DUMP key

Parameter Explanations

key: The name of the key you want to serialize. It must be a valid key that exists in the Redis database.

Return Values

The DUMP command returns a binary string representing the serialized value of the given key. If the key does not exist, it returns nil.

Example:

"\x00\xc0\x02\x06\x00\xfa"

If the key doesn’t exist:

(nil)

Code Examples

dragonfly> SET mykey "Hello"
OK
dragonfly> DUMP mykey
"\x00\xc0\x03\x05\x00\xf9rU$\x8f\x1e\x1c"
dragonfly> DUMP non_existent_key
(nil)

Best Practices

Ensure the key you are serializing with DUMP exists to avoid unnecessary errors.
When using DUMP for migration, pair it with the RESTORE command to reconstitute the key in the target Redis instance.

Common Mistakes

Using DUMP on a non-existent key will return nil, which may lead to confusion if not handled properly in scripts.

FAQs

Can I use `DUMP` to migrate data between different versions of Redis?

Yes, you can use DUMP to serialize data from one Redis instance and RESTORE to deserialize it into another instance, even if they are running different versions of Redis.