title: Is there a MySql binary dump format? Or anything better than plain text INSERT statements?
body: <p>Is there anything better (faster or smaller) than pages of plain text CREATE TABLE and INSERT statements for dumping MySql databases? It seems awfully inefficient for large amounts of data.</p>
  
  <p>I realise that the underlying database files can be copied, but I assume they will only work in the same version of MySql that they come from.</p>
  
  <p>Is there a tool I don't know about, or a reason for this lack?</p>