Summary: What is MySQL? This tutorial will provide you with answers and reasons why MySQL is one of the world’s most popular open-source databases.
Introduction to databases
You interact with data every day…
When you want to listen to your favorite songs, you open your playlist from your smartphone. In this case, the playlist is essentially a database.
When you take a photo and upload it to your account on a social network like Facebook, your photo gallery becomes a database.
When you browse an e-commerce website to buy shoes, clothes, and more, you’re using the shopping cart database.
Databases are everywhere. So what is a database? By definition, a database is simply a structured collection of data.
The data within a database are naturally related, for example, a product belongs to a product category and is associated with multiple tags. Hence, we use the term relational database.
In a relational database, we model data like products, categories, tags, etc., using tables. A table contains columns and rows, much like a spreadsheet.
Tables can relate to one another table using various types of relationships, like one-to-one and one-to-many.
Because we handle a substantial amount of data, we need a way to efficiently define databases, tables, and process data. Moreover, we want to transform data into valuable information.
This is where SQL comes into play.
SQL – the language of the relational database
SQL stands for the structured query language.
SQL is the standardized language used to access the database.
ANSI/SQL defines the SQL standard and the current version of SQL is SQL:2023. When we refer to the SQL standard, we are talking about the current SQL version.
SQL is composed of three parts:
- Data definition language (DDL) includes statements for defining the database and its objects such as tables, views, triggers, stored procedures, etc.
- Data manipulation language (DML) contains statements for updating and querying data.
- Data control language (DCL) allows you to grant permissions to users to access specific data in the database.
Now that you understand databases and SQL, it’s time to answer the next question…
What is MySQL
MySQL? What’s in a name?
MySQL got its name from the daughter of one of its co-founders, Monty Widenius, whose name is My. Combining ‘My’ with ‘SQL,’ we get MySQL.
MySQL is a robust database management system designed for managing relational databases. It is open-source software supported by Oracle, meaning that you can use MySQL without any cost. Additionally, you will have the flexibility to modify its source code to tailor it to your specific requirements.
Despite being open-source software, you also have the option to purchase a commercial license from Oracle, which provides access to premium support services.
When compared to other database software like Oracle Database or Microsoft SQL Server, MySQL is relatively easy to master.
MySQL is versatile and can run on various platforms, including UNIX, Linux, and Windows. You can install it on a server or even on a desktop. What’s more, MySQL is renowned for its reliability, scalability, and speed.
The official way to pronounce MySQL is My Ess Que Ell, not My Sequel. Nevertheless, you can pronounce it as you prefer; it’s a matter of personal choice.
If you’re a web developer, MySQL is a great choice. It’s a key component of the LAMP stack, which consists of Linux, Apache, MySQL, and PHP.
