Where Is RabbitMQ Data Stored?
RabbitMQ stores node state and messages under a Mnesia base directory. Config and logs are separate and vary by package.
Last updated
On Ubuntu, Debian, and RPM installs the Mnesia base is /var/lib/rabbitmq/mnesia/ with a subfolder per node name. Main config is /etc/rabbitmq/rabbitmq.conf and logs are in /var/log/rabbitmq/. Generic Unix builds place data under the install home instead.
Node data dir includes schema and message store data. Confirm the live value in config and with rabbitmq-diagnostics since admins change defaults with env vars.
Where RabbitMQ stores this, by platform
/var/lib/rabbitmq/mnesia/
Config is /etc/rabbitmq/rabbitmq.conf. Logs are /var/log/rabbitmq/. Effective dir is RABBITMQ_MNESIA_BASE plus node name or explicit RABBITMQ_MNESIA_DIR. Use rabbitmq-diagnostics status to print the node data directory.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find the active config file?
Check the top of the broker log for config file entries. Run rabbitmq-diagnostics status to list used files. Missing files are logged as not found, so inspect RABBITMQ_CONFIG_FILE settings.
What is safe to copy for backup?
Copy the node data directory including definitions and message store. Skip message folders only if queued data is expendable. Confirm the live value in config and stop writes or stop the node for a consistent copy.
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