The following are the most important features of MySQL:
Relational Database Management System (RDBMS):
MySQL is a relational database management system. This database language is based on the SQL queries to access and manage the records of the table.
Easy to use:
MySQL is easy to use. We have to get only the basic knowledge of SQL. We can build and interact with MySQL by using only a few simple SQL statements.
It is secure:
MySQL consists of a solid data security layer that protects sensitive data from intruders. Also, passwords are encrypted in MySQL.
Client/ Server Architecture:
MySQL follows the working of a client/server architecture. There is a database server (MySQL) and arbitrarily many clients (application programs), which communicate with the server; that is, they can query data, save changes, etc.
Free to download:
MySQL is free to use so that we can download it from MySQL official website without any cost.
It is scalable:
MySQL supports multi-threading that makes it easily scalable. It can handle almost any amount of data, up to as much as 50 million rows or more. The default file size limit is about 4 GB. However, we can increase this number to a theoretical limit of 8 TB of data.
Speed:
MySQL is considered one of the very fast database languages, backed by a large number of the benchmark test.
High Flexibility:
MySQL supports a large number of embedded applications, which makes MySQL very flexible.
Compatible on many operating systems:
MySQL is compatible to run on many operating systems, like Novell NetWare, Windows* Linux*, many varieties of UNIX* (such as Sun* Solaris*, AIX, and DEC* UNIX), OS/2, FreeBSD*, and others. MySQL also provides a facility that the clients can run on the same computer as the server or on another computer (communication via a local network or the Internet).
Allows roll-back:
MySQL allows transactions to be rolled back, commit, and crash recovery.
Memory efficiency:
Its efficiency is high because it has a very low memory leakage problem.
High Performance:
MySQL is faster, more reliable, and cheaper because of its unique storage engine architecture. It provides very high-performance results in comparison to other databases without losing an essential functionality of the software. It has fast loading utilities because of the different cache memory.
High Productivity:
MySQL uses Triggers, Stored procedures, and views that allow the developer to give higher productivity.
Platform Independent:
It can download, install, and execute on most of the available operating systems.
Partitioning:
This feature improves the performance and provides fast management of the large database.
GUI Support:
MySQL provides a unified visual database graphical user interface tool named “MySQL Workbench” to work with database architects, developers, and Database Administrators. MySQL Workbench provides SQL development, data modeling, data migration, and comprehensive administration tools for server configuration, user administration, backup, and many more. MySQL has a fully GUI supports from MySQL Server version 5.6 and higher.
Dual Password Support:
MySQL version 8.0 provides support for dual passwords: one is the current password, and another is a secondary password, which allows us to transition to the new password.
Unireg, which is the code base of MySQL, was started in 1981.
MySQL was founded in 1995 in Sweden.
In 2000, MySQL went open source, so it could be accessed and used by all.
In the year 2001, Marten Mickos was elected as the CEO of MySQL.
In the year 2002, MySQL launched its headquarters in USA, in addition to Sweden headquarters.
In 2003, MySQL entered into a partnership with SAP, and many features were developed in MySQL keeping SAP in mind.
In 2005, MySQL launched MySQL Network. Oracle purchased Innobase, which is the backend of MySQL’s InnoDB storage.
In 2008, MySQL was acquired by Sun Microsystems.
In 2009, Sun Microsystems and Oracle entered intoa definitive agreement under which Oracle acquired Sun Microsystems.
Let us now understand the history of MySQL:
The mSQL database system was designed to connect the data that is stored in tables using customized fast low level (ISAM) routines.
ISAM refers to indexed sequential access method, which is a file management system. It is a technique that helps access records in the tables sequentially, i.e in the same order in which the records were entered into the table, or randomly with the help of an index. Every index can be used to define a different order for the records in the table.
ISAM was originally developed by IBM before the development of VSAM (Virtual Storage Access Method) and relational databases.
When mSQL was tested to see its efficiency, it was observed that mSQL was not quick enough or flexible enough for the requirements in hand.
MySQL was initially created for personal usage from mSQL based on the low-level language ISAM.
MySQL has been named after co-founder Monty Widenius’s daughter- My. The logo, a dolphin is known as ‘Sakila’.
MySQL is becoming so popular because of these following reasons:
1. Scalability and Flexibility
The MySQL database server provides the ultimate in scalability, sporting the capacity to handle deeply embedded applications with a footprint of only 1MB to running massive data warehouses holding terabytes of information.
Platform flexibility is a stalwart feature of MySQL with all flavors of Linux, UNIX, and Windows being supported. And, of course, the open source nature of MySQL allows complete customization for those wanting to add unique requirements to the database server.
2. High Performance
A unique storage-engine architecture allows database professionals to configure the MySQL database server specifically for particular applications, with the end result being amazing performance results.
Whether the intended application is a high-speed transactional processing system or a high-volume web site that services a billion queries a day, MySQL can meet the most demanding performance expectations of any system.
With high-speed load utilities, distinctive memory caches, full text indexes, and other performance-enhancing mechanisms, MySQL offers all the right ammunition for today’s critical business systems.
3. High Availability
Rock-solid reliability and constant availability are hallmarks of MySQL, with customers relying on MySQL to guarantee around-the-clock uptime. MySQL offers a variety of high-availability options from high-speed master/slave replication configurations, to specialized Cluster servers offering instant failover, to third party vendors offering unique high-availability solutions for the MySQL database server.
4. Robust Transactional Support
MySQL offers one of the most powerful transactional database engines on the market. Features include complete ACID (atomic, consistent, isolated, durable) transaction support, unlimited row-level locking, distributed transaction capability, and multi-version transaction support where readers never block writers and vice-versa. Full data integrity is also assured through server-enforced referential integrity, specialized transaction isolation levels, and instant deadlock detection.
5. Web and Data Warehouse Strengths
MySQL is the de-facto standard for high-traffic web sites because of its high-performance query engine, tremendously fast data insert capability, and strong support for specialized web functions like fast full text searches. These same strengths also apply to data warehousing environments where MySQL scales up into the terabyte range for either single servers or scale-out architectures. Other features like main memory tables, B-tree and hash indexes, and compressed archive tables that reduce storage requirements by up to eighty-percent make MySQL a strong standout for both web and business intelligence applications.
6. Strong Data Protection
Because guarding the data assets of corporations is the number one job of database professionals, MySQL offers exceptional security features that ensure absolute data protection. In terms of database authentication, MySQL provides powerful mechanisms for ensuring only authorized users have entry to the database server, with the ability to block users down to the client machine level being possible. SSH and SSL support are also provided to ensure safe and secure connections.
A granular object privilege framework is present so that users only see the data they should, and powerful data encryption and decryption functions ensure that sensitive data is protected from unauthorized viewing. Finally, backup and recovery utilities provided through MySQL and third party software vendors allow for complete logical and physical backup as well as full and point-in-time recovery.
7. Comprehensive Application Development
One of the reasons MySQL is the world’s most popular open source database is that it provides comprehensive support for every application development need. Within the database, support can be found for stored procedures, triggers, functions, views, cursors, ANSI-standard SQL, and more. For embedded applications, plug-in libraries are available to embed MySQL database support into nearly any application.
MySQL also provides connectors and drivers (ODBC, JDBC, etc.) that allow all forms of applications to make use of MySQL as a preferred data management server. It doesn’t matter if it’s PHP, Perl, Java, Visual Basic, or .NET, MySQL offers application developers everything they need to be successful in building database-driven information systems.
8. Management Ease
MySQL offers exceptional quick-start capability with the average time from software download to installation completion being less than fifteen minutes. This rule holds true whether the platform is Microsoft Windows, Linux, Macintosh, or UNIX. Once installed, self-management features like automatic space expansion, auto-restart, and dynamic configuration changes take much of the burden off already overworked database administrators.
MySQL also provides a complete suite of graphical management and migration tools that allow a DBA to manage, troubleshoot, and control the operation of many MySQL servers from a single workstation. Many third party software vendor tools are also available for MySQL that handle tasks ranging from data design and ETL, to complete database administration, job management, and performance monitoring.
9. Open Source Freedom and 24 x 7 Support
Many corporations are hesitant to fully commit to open source software because they believe they can’t get the type of support or professional service safety nets they currently rely on with proprietary software to ensure the overall success of their key applications. The questions of indemnification come up often as well.
These worries can be put to rest with MySQL as complete around-the-clock support as well as indemnification is available through MySQL Enterprise. MySQL is not a typical open source project as all the software is owned and supported by Oracle, and because of this, a unique cost and support model are available that provides a unique combination of open source freedom and trusted software with support.
10. Lowest Total Cost of Ownership
By migrating current database-drive applications to MySQL, or using MySQL for new development projects, corporations are realizing cost savings that many times stretch into seven figures.
Accomplished through the use of the MySQL database server and scale-out architectures that utilize low-cost commodity hardware, corporations are finding that they can achieve amazing levels of scalability and performance, all at a cost that is far less than those offered by proprietary and scale-up software vendors.
In addition, the reliability and easy maintainability of MySQL means that database administrators don’t waste time troubleshooting performance or downtime issues, but instead can concentrate on making a positive impact on higher level tasks that involve the business side of data.
MySQL follows the working of Client-Server Architecture. This model is designed for the end-users called clients to access the resources from a central computer known as a server using network services.
Here, the clients make requests through a graphical user interface (GUI), and the server will give the desired output as soon as the instructions are matched. The process of MySQL environment is the same as the client-server model.
The core of the MySQL database is the MySQL Server. This server is available as a separate program and responsible for handling all the database instructions, statements, or commands. The working of MySQL database with MySQL Server are as follows:
MySQL creates a database that allows you to build many tables to store and manipulate data and defining the relationship between each table.
Clients make requests through the GUI screen or command prompt by using specific SQL expressions on MySQL.
Finally, the server application will respond with the requested expressions and produce the desired result on the client-side.
A client can use any MySQL GUI. But, it is making sure that your GUI should be lighter and user-friendly to make your data management activities faster and easier. Some of the most widely used MySQL GUIs are MySQL Workbench, SequelPro, DBVisualizer, and the Navicat DB Admin Tool. Some GUIs are commercial, while some are free with limited functionality, and some are only compatible with MacOS. Thus, you can choose the GUI according to your needs.
MySQL is currently the most popular database management system software used for managing the relational database. It is open-source database software, which is supported by Oracle Company. It is fast, scalable, and easy to use database management system in comparison with Microsoft SQL Server and Oracle Database. It is commonly used in conjunction with PHP scripts for creating powerful and dynamic server-side or web-based enterprise applications.
It is developed, marketed, and supported by MySQL AB, a Swedish company, and written in C programming language and C++ programming language. The official pronunciation of MySQL is not the My Sequel; it is My Ess Que Ell. However, you can pronounce it in your way. Many small and big companies use MySQL. MySQL supports many Operating Systems like Window, Linux, MacOS, etc. with C, C++, and Java languages.
MySQL is a Relational Database Management System(RDBMS) software that provides many things, which are as follows:
It allows us to implement database operations on tables, rows, columns, and indexes.
It defines the database relationship in the form of tables (collection of rows and columns), also known as relations.
It provides the Referential Integrity between rows or columns of various tables.
It allows us to updates the table indexes automatically.
It uses many SQL queries and combines useful information from multiple tables for the end-users.
RDBMS
In the above example, we have 3 tables and they are Students, Takes_Course and Courses.
Three tables are connected together using same column and this is relational database.
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.
Today, we will be learning about what is meant by database?
The things that we have in our house can also represent the database. For example iron rack that we have in our house consists of rows and columns and that is used to store our clothes,utensils…etc.
In the same way, database also consists of rows and columns which can be accessed easily.
A database is an application that stores the organized collection of records. It can be accessed and manage by the user very easily. It allows us to organize data into tables, rows, columns, and indexes to find the relevant information very quickly.
Each database contains distinct API for performing database operations such as creating, managing, accessing, and searching the data it stores. Today, many databases available like MySQL, Sybase, Oracle, MongoDB, PostgreSQL, SQL Server, etc. In this section, we are going to focus on MySQL mainly.
So, in the further stories let us go into topics deeply and gain more knowledge.
From today, let us start our new topic i.e MySQL. In this blog we will just learn about What is MySQL. It is just going to be short and sweet blog.
MySQL tutorial provides basic and advanced concepts of MySQL. Our MySQL tutorial is designed for beginners and professionals.
MySQL is a relational database management system based on the Structured Query Language, which is the popular language for accessing and managing the records in the database.
MySQL is open-source and free software under the GNU license. It is supported by Oracle Company.
Our MySQL tutorial includes all topics of MySQL database that provides for how to manage database and to manipulate data with the help of various SQL queries.
These queries are: insert records, update records, delete records, select records, create tables, drop tables, etc. There are also given MySQL interview questions to help you better understand the MySQL database.
