What Is MySQL? What You Need to Know About MySQL

MySQL is a familiar term in business website design. However, not everyone understands it in detail. Learning useful knowledge about What is MySQL? and related information about this database system helps us apply it accurately and with confidence in real situations. A full understanding of MySQL is a useful foundation for real work requirements.

What is MySQL?

MySQL is a database management system open-source platforms The Relational Database Management System (RDBMS) is widely used around the world. It works on the standard Client-Server model.

What is MySQL

Today, large websites with huge numbers of users, such as social media Facebook, Yahoo, Google and Twitter, all use MySQL to store their information efficiently. This shows how useful and widely used MySQL is in website design and development.

MySQL is well regarded for its integration with Apache and PHP. It is also compatible with many browsers and major operating systems such as Ubuntu, Linux, macOS and Microsoft Windows, which makes MySQL more trusted and popular. Among all RDBMS software, MySQL is the most widely known and is used to build many websites.

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History of MySQL

In the early work on MySQL in 1979, its inventor developed a tool called UNIREG (an internal database) that laid the groundwork for MySQL. Over time, UNIREG was extended to handle larger databases and was rewritten in different languages. 

Michael Widenius then contacted David Hughes (author of mQuery) to combine mQuery with UNIREG's B+ ISAM to create indexing for mQuery. That was the start of MySQL. 

Michael Widenius, creator of the MySQL platform

The history of MySQL can be summarized as follows:

• The open-source MySQL database was created by MySQL AB, a Swedish company founded in 1995;
• In 2000, MySQL released its software under the GPL and went open source. It did not go as hoped: revenue fell 80%, development slowed, and it took a year to make up for the drop;
• In 2002, the company opened its Swedish headquarters, reached revenue of 6.5 million USD and attracted more than 1,000 paying customers;
• 2003 was a successful year, ending with revenue of 12 million USD from more than 4 million customer transactions, and on average more than 30,000 new downloads a day;
• In 2005, the company released a MySQL modeled on the Red Hat network;
• In 2008, MySQL AB was acquired by Sun Microsystems for about 1 billion USD. 
• In 2010, Oracle acquired Sun Microsystems for 7.4 billion USD to enter the computer hardware market. Soon after, the MySQL development team split off into a separate branch called MariaDB. That same year, MySQL was upgraded to version 5.5;
• In 2013 and 2015, MySQL released versions 5.6 and 5.7.

After continuous development and upgrades, MySQL is now at version 8.0.

Common MySQL terms

There are many concepts and terms directly related to MySQL that we need to understand clearly and fully. That understanding helps us keep MySQL running steadily, apply it with ease and support the way we build and maintain websites. The most basic terms you will meet are:

Database

A database is where data is stored. You can think of a database as a set of cabinet drawers that do more than hold things: they sort and store data of the same kind neatly and logically. Each drawer holds its own type of data, yet as a whole the drawers are connected by certain rules.

Open source

MySQL as an open-source system

MySQL is open source by nature, so anyone can download it, use it and modify it as they like. That is the simplest way to understand open source in the case of MySQL. In practice, however, the GPL license still sets out clearly what you may and may not do in specific cases.

Client-server

This model is like a spider web, where server the server sits at the center and mainly stores the data in the system. When a client needs to look up or work with specific data, it connects to the server to get the information it needs.

MySQL Client

A client is a machine on the system MySQL and it does not have to have this database system installed. It only needs software that can connect to the MySQL server and receive its responses.

MySQL Server

MySQL Server is the machine where data is stored through the MySQL system. It is highly regarded for its security performance, and it also processes data quickly.

MySQL Server

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SQL

Many people confuse SQL and MySQL and think they are the same thing. They are not. MySQL is simply one of many database management systems, while SQL is the language used for communication between the server and the client in a given system. SQL is typically used for tasks such as:

• Data Query: that is, requesting a specific piece of information from the stored data.
• Data Manipulation: adding, editing or deleting data as requested.
• Data Indentiny: defining what type a piece of data is and which drawer of the database it belongs in.
• Data Access Control: granting or limiting someone's access, which helps protect the data and keep it secure.

How MySQL works

Understanding how MySQL works helps us know it better and gives us the control we need when using it. In a MySQL environment, the client and server interact with each other continuously, based on this main principle:

How the server and client work together

• MySQL creates tables to store data and to define the relationships between tables fully, in detail and accurately,
• The client sends SQL requests to MySQL through special commands.
• The applications on the server receive them and respond with the information, returning the result directly to the client.

MySQL vs. SQL Server

The nature of MySQL and SQL Server

• SQL Server: Microsoft supports SQL Server with many powerful tools and strong support for RDBMS, including tools for analyzing data. SQL Server works well with the .NET programming language.
• MySQL: It is open-source software with several versions running on it, though the versions do not differ much from each other. Platforms that run MySQL include Windows, AIX, Linux and NetWare. MySQL also works with the PHP programming language and many others.

Syntax

Both databases use SQL, but their syntax differs. 

• MySQL syntax: SELECT age; FROM person; ORDER BY age ASC; LIMIT 3.
• SQL Server syntax: SELECT TOP 3 WITH TIES *; FROM person; ORDER BY age ASC.

Data storage

• MySQL: gives developers flexibility. They can use different storage engines for different tables based on speed, reliability and other factors. 
• SQL Server: uses only the one storage engine released by Microsoft. 

Differences between MySQL and SQL Server

Backup and recovery

• MySQL: To back up a database you need to export it as SQL statements. Because so many SQL statements have to be run during a backup, data can be permanently lost.
  MySQL also locks the database during a backup to avoid conflicts, which means you cannot use the database while it runs. To solve this you need the Mysqldump utility.

• SQL Server: You will not run into this situation with SQL Server. Backups are easy to do.

Security in MySQL and SQL Server

Both databases comply with EC2, a security standard that helps protect cloud computing. There are still small differences between them:

• MySQL: lets users edit its data files, and while it is running you can access other processes.
• SQL Server: SQL Server is more secure and less likely to be hacked, because Microsoft provides the Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer tool for added protection. 

Cost of MySQL and SQL Server

• MySQL: free to use. If you need help or consulting, you pay for that service.
• SQL Server: You pay to use multiple databases on SQL Server.

IDES

Both support Integrated Development Environment (IDE) tools (tools that help programmers). 

• MySQL: uses Oracle's Enterprise Manager
• SQL Server: uses Management Studio (SSMS)

Main advantages of MySQL

Many different database management systems are used to run a website. Among them, MySQL is highly regarded for its strengths. These make it work well for keeping a website running. The strengths that make MySQL highly rated and trusted are:

High security

MySQL has a high level of security, which makes it hard for hackers to attackand keeps each website safe. As a result, data management for large and small websites, with a lot or a little data, gets an ideal level of protection.

MySQL has good security

Fast loading speed

Another advantage when assessing MySQL is its impressive speed. Its query speed and data response are highly rated, which makes MySQL an ideal choice for working more efficiently.

Easy to use

MySQL is intuitive, simple and easy to use. It suits every kind of user, whatever their technical background. Beginners and experienced users alike can use MySQL effectively for the real demands of their work.

Easy to scale

Because it is open source, MySQL is easy to develop and extend to meet real needs. As requirements for building and running websites become more varied and more complex, MySQL's easy scaling gives you control over your work.

Completely free

With MySQL, users can save costs effectively. Being completely free is also an advantage for anyone who picks MySQL for their own needs. This is also why it is trusted and favored by many developers.

What are the disadvantages of MySQL?

• MySQL has capacity limits: as the number of records grows, retrieving data becomes much harder. To fix this and speed up data sharing, you have to spread the database load across servers or set up a MySQL cache.
• MySQL's reliability is not rated highly either. You do not need to worry too much if your content system is only mid-sized, because complex requirements only appear in large systems.
• MySQL has some limitations for functions that certain applications may need

Installing MySQL on Windows

How to download MySQL for Windows

Step 1: Download MySQL to your computer

After the MySQL Community (free version) is downloaded, you will have 3 files, as follows:

• Microsoft .NET Framework 4 Client Profile
• Visual C++ Redistributable for Visual Studio 2013
• MySQL

Step 2: Install MySQL

First install Microsoft .NET Framework 4 Client Profile and Visual C++ Redistributable for Visual Studio 2013, then install the MySQL file.

The installation steps:

• Open the file to install -> Accept -> Next;
• Tick the full option to install everything, including database -> Next;
• At this step all packages will be installed. Choose Execute -> Next;
• In the MySQL configuration step, choose Next;
• Selection:
  + Config Type: Development Machine
  + Connectivity: click TCP/IP -> Open Firewall

• Then continue by choosing Next;
• In Accounts and Roles, enter a password -> click Next;
• By default, in Root is the Userthen enter the password you created above to test the connection to the MySQL server;

Finally, click Finish and the installation is complete.

Among the many options, to this day MySQL remains one of the most highly rated and most popular database management systems. Its strong points and efficient performance bring real benefits in use, and help keep the design, development and operation of each website as stable as possible. We hope the information that Mona.media provided is useful to you.