Isn't that just a flag? "--lock-tables=false", alternatively --single-transaction for InnoDB.
If you want a consistent backup that you can use to setup a replica you need to block writes while the backup is taken, take the backup while the database is shutdown OR use xtrabackup.
alt Hacker News
If you want a consistent backup that you can use to setup a replica you need to block writes while the backup is taken, take the backup while the database is shutdown OR use xtrabackup.