Where does Magento store the product database?

[robert_mullin]

I want to update the prices of our products.  In the past I've ftp'd to the site, downloaded the database, updated it and then uploaded it.  It was years ago though and I can't remember the name of the database or its location.

[Damian Culotta]

Hi @robert_mullin,

I think that's not the best way to handle mass price updates or changes.

Maybe you could check the Import/Export feature to update prices: https://docs.magento.com/m2/ce/user_guide/system/data-import.html

Cheers!

[Robert Rand]

I very much agree with @Damian Culotta - It's best to avoid inserting product data directly into Magento's relational database whenever possible, especially on a live site. You can use Magento's API's, or as Damian suggested, you can use CSV files. These methods are provided as part of the Magento architecture so that you don't have to go directly to the database, but rather, can have some data validation and safety net along the way.

I actually devoted a podcast episode to this topic back in April - Episode 3 - Best Practices for Magento Data Management. We also turned this one into a video with some helpful slides: https://youtu.be/uay4a4f49w8

The guests from 121eCommerce and nChannel did a great job of describing best practices based upon their own experiences in working with large numbers of sites. This includes when they'd recommend Flat File vs. API vs. Direct to Database - and when they wouldn't.

There are other options, like Product Information Management (PIM) tools, but since it's been years since you last needed to make a large update, I'd personally recommend trying to stick with using Magento's native tools.

Best of luck!

[robert_mullin]

Thanks for the responses - I did find the "export data base function".  What does the "skip" check box do for that function?  I assumed that a checked attribute wouldn't be included in the downloaded file but I tried it and the file was the same as when I didn't check any boxes.

[Damian Culotta]

Hi @robert_mullin,

You're almost right.

As you can see here https://docs.magento.com/m2/ce/user_guide/system/data-export-criteria.html#exclude-attributes if you check an attribute to be excluded, the associated column in the export data is included, but empty.