# Working with MySQL replication in Amazon RDS
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You usually use read replicas to configure replication between Amazon RDS DB instances. For general information about read replicas, see [Working with DB instance read replicas](USER_ReadRepl.md). For specific information about working with read replicas on Amazon RDS for MySQL, see [Working with MySQL read replicas](USER_MySQL.Replication.ReadReplicas.md). 

You can use global transaction identifiers (GTIDs) for replication with RDS for MySQL. For more information, see [Using GTID-based replication](mysql-replication-gtid.md).

You can also set up replication between an RDS for MySQL DB instance and a MariaDB or MySQL instance that is external to Amazon RDS. For information about configuring replication with an external source, see [Configuring binary log file position replication with an external source instance](MySQL.Procedural.Importing.External.Repl.md).

For any of these replication options, you can use either row-based replication, statement-based, or mixed replication. Row-based replication only replicates the changed rows that result from a SQL statement. Statement-based replication replicates the entire SQL statement. Mixed replication uses statement-based replication when possible, but switches to row-based replication when SQL statements that are unsafe for statement-based replication are run. In most cases, mixed replication is recommended. The binary log format of the DB instance determines whether replication is row-based, statement-based, or mixed. For information about setting the binary log format, see [Configuring RDS for MySQL binary logging for Single-AZ databases](USER_LogAccess.MySQL.BinaryFormat.md).

**Note**  
You can configure replication to import databases from a MariaDB or MySQL instance that is external to Amazon RDS, or to export databases to such instances. For more information, see [Importing data to an Amazon RDS for MySQL database with reduced downtime](mysql-importing-data-reduced-downtime.md) and [Exporting data from a MySQL DB instance by using replication](MySQL.Procedural.Exporting.NonRDSRepl.md).

After you restore your DB instance from a snapshot or perform a point-in-time recovery, you can view the last recovered binlog position from the source database in the RDS console. Under **Logs & events**, enter **binlog**. The binlog position appears under **System notes**.

**Topics**
+ [Working with MySQL read replicas](USER_MySQL.Replication.ReadReplicas.md)
+ [Using GTID-based replication](mysql-replication-gtid.md)
+ [Configuring binary log file position replication with an external source instance](MySQL.Procedural.Importing.External.Repl.md)
+ [Configuring multi-source-replication for Amazon RDS for MySQL](mysql-multi-source-replication.md)