MySQL:

MySQL is an Oracle-backed open source relational database management system (RDBMS) based
on Structured Query Language (SQL). MySQL runs on virtually all platforms,
including Linux, UNIX and Windows. Although it can be used in a wide range of applications,
MySQL is most often associated with web applications and online publishing.

MySQL is an important component of an open source enterprise stack called LAMP. LAMP is a
web development platform that uses Linux as the operating system, Apache as the web server,
MySQL as the relational database management system and PHP as the object-oriented scripting
language. (Sometimes Perl or Python is used instead of PHP.)

Originally conceived by the Swedish company MySQL AB, MySQL was acquired by Sun
Microsystems in 2008 and then by Oracle when it bought Sun in 2010. Developers can use MySQL
under the GNU General Public License (GPL), but enterprises must obtain a commercial license
from Oracle.

Today, MySQL is the RDBMS behind many of the top websites in the world and countless
corporate and consumer-facing web-based applications, including Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

How MySQL works

MySQL is based on a client-server model. The core of MySQL is MySQL server, which handles all
of the database instructions (or commands). MySQL server is available as a separate program for
use in a client-server networked environment and as a library that can be embedded (or linked) into
separate applications.

MySQL operates along with several utility programs which support the administration of MySQL
databases. Commands are sent to MySQLServer via the MySQL client, which is installed on a
computer.

MySQL was originally developed to handle large databases quickly. Although MySQL is typically
installed on only one machine, it is able to send the database to multiple locations, as users are able
to access it via different MySQL client interfaces. These interfaces send SQL statements to the
server and then display the results.

Core MySQL features

MySQL enables data to be stored and accessed across multiple storage engines, including
InnoDB, CSV, and NDB. MySQL is also capable of replicating data and partitioning tables for
better performance and durability. MySQL users aren't required to learn new commands; they can
access their data using standard SQL commands.

MySQL is written in C and C++ and accessible and available across over 20 platforms, including
Mac, Windows, Linux and Unix. The RDBMS supports large databases with millions records and
supports many data types including signed or unsigned integers 1, 2, 3, 4, and 8 bytes long;
FLOAT; DOUBLE; CHAR; VARCHAR; BINARY; VARBINARY; TEXT; BLOB; DATE; TIME;
DATETIME; TIMESTAMP; YEAR; SET; ENUM; and OpenGIS spatial types. Fixed- and
variable-length string types are also supported.

For security, MySQL uses an access privilege and encrypted password system that enables host-
based verification. MySQL clients can connect to MySQL Server using several protocols, including
TCP/IP sockets on any platform. MySQL also supports a number of client and utility programs,
command-line programs and administration tools such as MySQL Workbench.

Offshoots of MySQL, also known as forks, include the following:

 Drizzle, a lightweight open source database management system in development based on

MySQL 6.0;

 MariaDB, a popular community-developed "drop-in" replacement for MySQL that uses

MySQL APIs and commands; and

 Percona Server with XtraDB, an enhanced version of MySQL known for horizontal scalability.

MySQL vs SQL
Before 2016, the main difference between MySQL and SQL was that the former could be used on
multiple platforms, whereas the latter could only be used on Windows. Microsoft has since
expanded SQL to support Linux, a change which went into effect in 2017. When MySQL is
installed via Linux, its package management system requires custom configuration to adjust
security and optimization settings.

MySQL also allows users to choose the most effective storage engine for any given table, as the
program is able to utilize multiple storage engines for individual tables. One of MySQL's engines is
InnoDB. InnoDB was designed for high availability. Because of this, it is not as quick as other
engines. SQL uses its own storage system, but it does maintain multiple safeguards against loss of
data. Both systems are able to run in clusters for high availability.

SQL Server offers a wide variety of data analysis and reporting tools. SQL Server Reporting
Services is the most popular one and is available as a free download. There are similar analysis
tools for MySQL available from third-party software companies, such as Crystal Reports XI and
Actuate BIRT.

Compatibility with other services

MySQL was designed to be compatible with other systems. It supports deployment in virtualized
environments, such as Amazon RDS for MySQL, Amazon RDS for MariaDB and Amazon Aurora
for MySQL. Users can transfer their data to a SQL Server database by using database migration
tools like AWS Schema Conversion Tool and the AWS Database Migration Service.

The database object semantics between SQL Server and MySQL are similar, but not identical.
There are architectural differences that must be considered when migrating from SQL Server to
MySQL. In MySQL, there is no difference between a database and a schema, while SQL Server
treats the two as separate entities.

What is a Database?

A database is a separate application that stores a collection of data. Each database has one or more
distinct APIs for creating, accessing, managing, searching and replicating the data it holds.
Other kinds of data stores can also be used, such as files on the file system or large hash tables in
memory but data fetching and writing would not be so fast and easy with those type of systems.

Nowadays, we use relational database management systems (RDBMS) to store and manage huge
volume of data. This is called relational database because all the data is stored into different tables
and relations are established using primary keys or other keys known as Foreign Keys.

A Relational DataBase Management System (RDBMS) is a software that −

 Enables you to implement a database with tables, columns and indexes.

 Guarantees the Referential Integrity between rows of various tables.
 Updates the indexes automatically.
 Interprets an SQL query and combines information from various tables.

RDBMS Terminology

Before we proceed to explain the MySQL database system, let us revise a few definitions related
to the database.

 Database − A database is a collection of tables, with related data.

 Table − A table is a matrix with data. A table in a database looks like a simple spreadsheet.
 Column − One column (data element) contains data of one and the same kind, for example
the column postcode.
 Row − A row (= tuple, entry or record) is a group of related data, for example the data of
one subscription.
 Redundancy − Storing data twice, redundantly to make the system faster.
 Primary Key − A primary key is unique. A key value can not occur twice in one table.
With a key, you can only find one row.
 Foreign Key − A foreign key is the linking pin between two tables.
 Compound Key − A compound key (composite key) is a key that consists of multiple
columns, because one column is not sufficiently unique.
 Index − An index in a database resembles an index at the back of a book.
 Referential Integrity − Referential Integrity makes sure that a foreign key value always
points to an existing row.

MySQL Database
MySQL is a fast, easy-to-use RDBMS being used for many small and big businesses. MySQL is
developed, marketed and supported by MySQL AB, which is a Swedish company. MySQL is
becoming so popular because of many good reasons −

 MySQL is released under an open-source license. So you have nothing to pay to use it.
 MySQL is a very powerful program in its own right. It handles a large subset of the
functionality of the most expensive and powerful database packages.
 MySQL uses a standard form of the well-known SQL data language.
 MySQL works on many operating systems and with many languages including PHP, PERL,
C, C++, JAVA, etc.
 MySQL works very quickly and works well even with large data sets.
 MySQL is very friendly to PHP, the most appreciated language for web development.
 MySQL supports large databases, up to 50 million rows or more in a table. The default file
size limit for a table is 4GB, but you can increase this (if your operating system can handle
it) to a theoretical limit of 8 million terabytes (TB).
 MySQL is customizable. The open-source GPL license allows programmers to modify the
MySQL software to fit their own specific environments.

How Does MySQL Work?

The image explains the basic structure of the client-server structure. One or more devices (clients)
connect to a server through a specific network. Every client can make a request from the graphical
user interface (GUI) on their screens, and the server will produce the desired output, as long as both
ends understand the instruction. Without getting too technical, the main processes taking place in a
MySQL environment are the same, which are:
 1. MySQL creates a database for storing and manipulating data, defining the relationship of
each table.
2. Clients can make requests by typing specific SQL statements on MySQL.
3. The server application will respond with the requested information and it will appear on the
clients’ side.

That’s pretty much it. From the clients’ side, they usually emphasize which MySQL GUI to use.
The lighter and more user-friendly the GUI is, the faster and easier their data management activities
will be. Some of the most popular MySQL GUIs are MySQL WorkBench, SequelPro,
DBVisualizer, and the Navicat DB Admin Tool. Some of them are free, while some are
commercial, some run exclusively for macOS, and some are compatible with major operating
systems. Clients should choose the GUI depending on their needs. For web database
management, including a WordPress site, the most obvious go-to is phpMyAdmin.

Why is MySQL so Popular?

MySQL is indeed not the only (R)DBMS on the market, but it is one of the most popular ones and
only second to Oracle Database when scored using critical parameters like the number of mentions
in search results, professional profiles on LinkedIn, and frequency of technical discussions on
internet forums. The fact that many major tech giants rely on it further solidifies the well-deserved
position. Why so? Here are the reasons:
Flexible and easy to use

You can modify the source code to meet your own expectations, and don’t need to pay anything for
this level of freedom, including the options for upgrading to the advanced commercial version. The
installation process is relatively simple, and shouldn’t take longer than 30 minutes.

High performance

A wide array of cluster servers backs MySQL. Whether you are storing massive amounts of big e-
Commerce data or doing heavy business intelligence activities, MySQL can assist you smoothly
with optimum speed.

An industry standard

Industries have been using MySQL for years, which means that there are abundant resources for
skilled developers. MySQL users can expect rapid development of the software and freelance
experts willing to work for a smaller wage if they ever need them.

Secure

Your data should be your primary concern when choosing the right RDBMS software. With its
Access Privilege System and User Account Management, MySQL sets the security bar high. Host-
based verification and password encryption are both available.