Homebrew MariaDB Server Start Error with 'mysql.server start'

When starting MariaDB 10.3.8 on MacOS 10.13.6 the following strange behavior occurs:

mac:~user$ mysql.server start

Starting MariaDB

.180813 17:50:11 mysqld_safe Logging to '/usr/local/var/mysql/mbp.local.err'.

180813 17:50:11 mysqld_safe Starting mysqld daemon with databases from /usr/local/var/mysql.. ERROR!

There are actually many more dots in the output before ERROR! is displayed; the process takes a couple of minutes. The odd thing is the server does run. And shutdown appears normal:

mac:~user$ mysql.server stop

Shutting down MariaDB.. SUCCESS!

Any idea how to determine what is causing the error message on startup and fix it?

I can reproduce your issue. Don't use mysql.server start in macOS.

If you installed MariaDB with homebrew, use brew services to start and stop the database. It takes only a second and doesn't write strange error to stdout.

brew services stop mariadb
Stopping `mariadb`... (might take a while)
==> Successfully stopped `mariadb` (label: homebrew.mxcl.mariadb)

brew services start mariadb
==> Successfully started `mariadb` (label: homebrew.mxcl.mariadb)

overview of services in homebrew:

brew services list
Name     Status  User     Plist
logstash stopped
mariadb  started Kim /Users/Kim/Library/LaunchAgents/homebrew.mxcl.mariadb.plist
mysql    stopped

general help

brew services --help
brew services command:
    Integrates Homebrew formulae with macOS' launchctl manager.

    [sudo] brew services list
    List all running services for the current user (or root)

    [sudo] brew services run formula|--all
    Run the service formula without starting at login (or boot).

    [sudo] brew services start formula|--all
    Start the service formula immediately and register it to launch at login (or boot).

    [sudo] brew services stop formula|--all
    Stop the service formula immediately and unregister it from launching at login (or boot).

    [sudo] brew services restart formula|--all
    Stop (if necessary) and start the service immediately and register it to launch at login (or boot).

    [sudo] brew services cleanup
    Remove all unused services.

    If sudo is passed, operate on /Library/LaunchDaemons (started at boot).
    Otherwise, operate on ~/Library/LaunchAgents (started at login).

StackExchange Database Administrators Q#214883, answer score: 9