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+# Database Read-Only
+
+Database-level read-only allows you to set a single database to read-only, so that write operations (DDL, DML, and some locking reads) against that database and its objects are rejected. 
+
+## Usage scenarios
+
+- **Batch migration / failback**: When syncing multiple upstream shards to a downstream database, if the downstream encounters issues, you can set the corresponding database to read-only to prevent new writes before failing traffic back to the upstream.
+- **Data export**: Set a tenant database to read-only to avoid inconsistency caused by data changes during export.
+
+## Syntax
+
+```sql
+ALTER {DATABASE | SCHEMA} [db_name] READ ONLY [=] {DEFAULT | 0 | 1};
+```
+
+- `db_name` is optional. If omitted, TiDB uses the current default database of the session. If there is no default database, the statement fails.
+- `DEFAULT` is equivalent to `0` (read-write).
+- `READ ONLY` is only supported in `ALTER DATABASE/SCHEMA`, not supported in `CREATE DATABASE`.
+- `READ ONLY` must be used alone. It cannot be combined in the same `ALTER DATABASE` statement with other options such as `CHARACTER SET`, `COLLATE`, `PLACEMENT POLICY`, or `SET TIFLASH REPLICA`.
+
+**Examples**
+
+Set a database to read-only:
+
+```sql
+ALTER DATABASE test READ ONLY = 1;
+```
+
+Set a database back to read-write:
+
+```sql
+ALTER DATABASE test READ ONLY = 0;
+```
+
+If the database is already in the requested state, the statement succeeds and returns a `Note` (you can check it via `SHOW WARNINGS`).
+
+## Privileges and usage constraints
+
+- **Required privilege**: You must have the `ALTER` privilege on the target database.
+- **Interaction with cluster read-only**: When the cluster is in read-only mode (for example, `tidb_restricted_read_only=1`), you cannot change database read-only status. The statement will fail with `Running in read-only mode`.
+- **System database restriction**: Database-level read-only is not supported for system databases, including `mysql`, `sys`, `INFORMATION_SCHEMA`, `PERFORMANCE_SCHEMA`, and `METRICS_SCHEMA`.
+
+## Database read-only observability
+
+### Using INFORMATION_SCHEMA.SCHEMATA_EXTENSIONS
+
+The `OPTIONS` column of `INFORMATION_SCHEMA.SCHEMATA_EXTENSIONS` shows extended schema properties. If this column's value is `READ ONLY=1`, the database is read-only; if the column is empty, the database is read-write.
+
+```sql
+SELECT CATALOG_NAME, SCHEMA_NAME, OPTIONS FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.SCHEMATA_EXTENSIONS;
+
++--------------+--------------------+-------------+
+| CATALOG_NAME | SCHEMA_NAME        | OPTIONS     |
++--------------+--------------------+-------------+
+| def          | INFORMATION_SCHEMA |             |
+| def          | METRICS_SCHEMA     |             |
+| def          | mysql              |             |
+| def          | PERFORMANCE_SCHEMA |             |
+| def          | sys                |             |
+| def          | test               | READ ONLY=1 |
++--------------+--------------------+-------------+
+```
+
+### Using SHOW CREATE DATABASE
+
+When a database is read-only, `SHOW CREATE DATABASE` appends a comment `/* READ ONLY = 1 */` at the end of the output.
+
+```sql
+SHOW CREATE DATABASE test;
++----------+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+| Database | Create Database                                                                      |
++----------+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+| test     | CREATE DATABASE `test` /*!40100 DEFAULT CHARACTER SET utf8mb4 */ /* READ ONLY = 1 */ |
++----------+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+```
+
+## Behavior of read-only DDL
+
+### Transaction when switching read-only state
+
+`ALTER DATABASE ... READ ONLY = 1` is an online DDL. It first blocks new writes to the target database and then waits for existing transactions related to that database to commit before returning.
+
+If a transaction has not accessed the database at the beginning, but accesses an object in that database after the read-only DDL finishes, it may fail with an error similar to:
+
+- `public schema <db> read only state has changed`
+
+### Troubleshooting when DDL takes a long time
+
+If `ALTER DATABASE ... READ ONLY = 1` takes a long time to finish, it is usually blocked by uncommitted transactions, TiDB periodically outputs the following logs:
+
+```
+[INFO] [schema.go:xxx] ["uncommitted txn block read only ddl"] [category=ddl] ["txn ID"=<txn_id>] ["job ID"=<job_id>]
+```
+
+You can query transaction information and locate the blocked session to further confirm the scope of the impact:
+
+```sql
+SELECT INSTANCE, ID, SESSION_ID, USER, DB, STATE, START_TIME, RELATED_TABLE_IDS FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.CLUSTER_TIDB_TRX;
+```
+
+## Behavior in a read-only database
+
+When a database is read-only, restricted statements typically fail with:
+
+- `ERROR 3989 (HY000): Schema '<db>' is in read only mode.`
+
+### Rejected operations when the target database is read-only
+
+- **DDL**:
+  - `DROP DATABASE`
+  - `ALTER DATABASE` (except changing `READ ONLY` itself)
+  - `CREATE TABLE` (including `TEMPORARY` / `GLOBAL TEMPORARY`)
+  - `ALTER TABLE` (such as changes to columns, indexes, partitions, foreign keys, `AUTO_INCREMENT`)
+  - `RENAME TABLE`
+  - `TRUNCATE TABLE`
+  - `DROP TABLE` / `DROP VIEW`
+  - `CREATE INDEX` / `DROP INDEX`
+  - `CREATE VIEW` / `CREATE OR REPLACE VIEW`
+- **DML**: `INSERT`, `REPLACE`, `UPDATE`, `DELETE`
+- **Locking reads**: `SELECT ... FOR UPDATE` and related variants (such as `NOWAIT/WAIT`, `FOR UPDATE OF ...`, `TABLE ... FOR UPDATE`)
+- **FOR SHARE**: When `tidb_enable_shared_lock_promotion=1`, `SELECT ... FOR SHARE` is also rejected (because it may be promoted to `FOR UPDATE` semantics).
+- **Data import**: `LOAD DATA`, `IMPORT INTO`
+- **Binding**: Creating bindings for statements that modify data is rejected.
+- **PREPARE**: TiDB performs the read-only check during `PREPARE`. Statements that are not executable in a read-only database fail at `PREPARE` time, which may differ from MySQL.
+- **EXECUTE**: Executing a prepared statement that modifies data in a read-only database fails.
+- **EXPLAIN / EXPLAIN ANALYZE**: Planning also triggers the read-only check. Therefore, `EXPLAIN` / `EXPLAIN ANALYZE` can fail for statements that are not executable in read-only.
+- **Foreign Key Cascades**: If a `DELETE/UPDATE` on a parent table triggers cascading changes on child tables, and the child table is in a read-only database, the `DELETE/UPDATE` is rejected with `ERROR 3989`.
+
+
+> Note: In the current implementation, temporary tables are not exempt. Creating/modifying/writing temporary tables in a read-only database is also rejected.
+
+### Allowed operations
+
+- Regular read-only queries: `SELECT` without `FOR UPDATE/SHARE`, `TABLE t;`
+
+### Replication / synchronization tools
+
+Database-level read-only only applies at the TiDB SQL layer. Paths that bypass the SQL layer are not restricted.
+
+**TiCDC**: Currently, TiCDC does not support replicating this DDL.
+
+**DM**: Currently, DM does not support replicating this DDL.
+
+**Dumpling**: Dumpling supports exporting a read-only database and requires no extra configuration.
+
+**TiDB Lightning**: Physical import into a read-only database can succeed, while logical import fails.
+
+**BR**: BR allows restoring into a read-only database.
+
+## MySQL compatibility
+
+This feature is based on MySQL 8.0 database-level read-only. Below are the major incompatibilities between TiDB and MySQL in the current implementation:
+
+- **ALTER DATABASE with multiple options**: MySQL allows setting `READ ONLY` together with `CHARACTER SET`/`COLLATE` in a single `ALTER DATABASE` statement; TiDB only supports setting `READ ONLY` alone (you need to split it into multiple statements).
+- **TEMPORARY tables**: MySQL typically does not restrict `TEMPORARY` tables because of database-level read-only; TiDB does not exempt them and rejects creating/modifying/writing temporary tables (including `GLOBAL TEMPORARY`) in a read-only database.
+- **PREPARE**: MySQL may allow `PREPARE` to succeed and fail at execution time; TiDB checks at `PREPARE` time and rejects statements that are not executable in a read-only database (commonly `ERROR 3989`).
+- **EXPLAIN/EXPLAIN ANALYZE**: MySQL may allow `EXPLAIN` for some statements; TiDB triggers the read-only check during planning, so `EXPLAIN` can also fail for statements not executable in read-only.
+- **Cross-database view dependency checks**: MySQL may block structural changes to underlying tables if they are referenced by views in a read-only database; TiDB currently does not block such changes (this may be improved in the future).