MySQL is a relational database-management system (RDBMS). The term relational indicates that MySQL can store its data as a number of different tables that are related to each other in some way.
The advantage of this type of database over a flat table system is that very large databases can be constructed from different tables, each of which contains only information relevant to that table.
Why You Should select MySQL (Mysql tutorial)
MySQL is Cross-Platform
One great advantage of using MySQL is its cross-platform capabilities. You can develop your database on a Windows laptop and deploy on Windows Server 2003, a Linux server, an IBM mainframe, or an Apple XServe, just to name a few potential platforms. This gives you a lot of versatility when choosing server hardware. You can even set up replication using a master on a Windows platform with Linux slaves. It's incredibly easy to move between platforms: on most platforms you can simply copy the data and configuration files between servers and you are ready to go!
MySQL is Fast
An independent study by Ziff Davis found MySQL to be one of the top performers in a group that included DB2, Oracle, ASE, and SQL Server 2000. MySQL is used by a variety of corporations that demand performance and stability including Yahoo!, Slashdot, Cisco, and Sabre. MySQL can help achieve the highest performance possible with your available hardware, helping to cut costs by increasing time between server upgrades.
MySQL is Free
MySQL is Open Source software. As such you are free to examine the source code and make any changes you wish. As per its GPL license, you are free to redistribute those changes as long as your software is also Open Source. If you do not wish to make your software Open Source, you are free to do so as long as you do not distribute your application externally. If you adhere to the requirements of the GPL, MySQL is free for you to use at no cost. If you wish to distribute your closed-source application externally, you will find that the cost of a MySQL commercial license is extremely low (MySQL licenses start at only $249 US). MySQL AB also offers well priced commercial support that is significantly less expensive than some of its counterparts.
Official MySQL manual (Mysql tutorial)
This is the Reference Manual for the MySQL Database System, version 5.0, through release 5.0.23. It is not intended for use with older versions of the MySQL software due to the many functional and other differences between MySQL 5.0 and previous versions. If you are using a version 4.1 release of the MySQL software, please refer to the MySQL 3.23, 4.0, 4.1 Reference Manual, which covers the 3.23, 4.0, and 4.1 series of MySQL software releases. Differences between minor versions of MySQL 5.0 are noted in the present text with reference to release numbers (5.0.x).
Because this manual serves as a reference, it does not provide general instruction on SQL or relational database concepts. It also does not teach you how to use your operating system or command-line interpreter.
The MySQL Database Software is under constant development, and the Reference Manual is updated frequently as well. The most recent version of the manual is available online in searchable form at http://dev.mysql.com/doc/. Other formats also are available there, including HTML, PDF, and Windows CHM versions.
The Reference Manual source files are written in DocBook XML format. The HTML version and other formats are produced automatically, primarily using the DocBook XSL stylesheets. For information about DocBook, see http://docbook.org/
If you have any suggestions concerning additions or corrections to this manual, please send them to the documentation team at <
>.
This manual was originally written by David Axmark and Michael “Monty” Widenius. It is maintained by the MySQL Documentation Team, consisting of Paul DuBois, Stefan Hinz, Mike Hillyer, and Jon Stephens. For the many other contributors, see Appendix C, Credits.
The copyright to this manual is owned by the Swedish company MySQL AB. MySQL® and the MySQL logo are registered trademarks of MySQL AB. Other trademarks and registered trademarks referred to in this manual are the property of their respective owners, and are used for identification purposes only.
The database has become an integral part of almost every human's life. Without it, many things we do would become very tedious, perhaps impossible tasks. Banks, universities, and libraries are three examples of organizations that depend heavily on some sort of database system. On the Internet, search engines, online shopping, and even the website naming convention (http://www...) would be impossible without the use of a database. A database that is implemented and interfaced on a computer is often termed a database server.
One of the fastest SQL (Structured Query Language) database servers currently on the market is the MySQL server, developed by T.c.X. DataKonsultAB. MySQL, available for download at http://www.mysql.com, offers the database programmer with an array of options and capabilities rarely seen in other database servers. What's more, MySQL is free of charge for those wishing to use it for private and commercial use. Those wishing to develop applications specifically using MySQL should consult MySQL's licensing section, as there is a charge for licensing the product.
These capabilities range across a number of topics, including the following:
Ability to handle an unlimited number of simultaneous users.
Capacity to handle 50,000,000+ records.
Very fast command execution, perhaps the fastest to be found on the market.
MySQL is an SQL based relational database management system (DBMS) that runs under a broad array of operating systems. MySQL is frequently used by PHP and Perl scripts. The SQL commands discussed in this tutorial apply to MySQL operating under all operating systems. Only the installation instructions are Windows specific. The focus is on Windows XP Professional and Windows 2000 Professional machines.
We'll be covering the installation of MySQL versions 5.0.18, 4.1.16 and 4.0.21 as well as how to configure everything so they'll all be able to run on your system at the same time. Plus, the data directories will be moved to another location in order to make backups easier. If you only want to install one version of MySQL, ignore the instructions relating to the other versions.
If your operating system or versions of MySQL are different, the instructions should still work, but keep an eye out for slight differences, like which working directory you'll need to be in.
MySQL Linux/UNIX Systems Components 9Mysql tutorial)
The location of MySQL programs, libraries, and other files depends on the installation prefix used when MySQL was installed. Typically, the prefix is either /usr/MySQL or /usr/local/MySQL.
In the location used on your system, you will find the following subdirectories:
binContains the MySQL executables, including the database server and all the client programs
libContains the development libraries used to communicate with a MySQL database from your own programs
includeContains the header files required to use MySQL APIs
dataThe MySQL data directory, containing the actual database files
support_filesA number of sample configuration files
The MySQL configuration file is named my.cnf. The file /etc/my.cnf contains global settings, but you can also create a file named my.cnf in the data directory that applies only to that MySQL server; it is possible to have multiple MySQL servers on one machine.
