What is MySQL ?

Introduction

MySQL is a very popular relational database management system that was developed in the year 1995. This database management system was developed by MySQL AB and it was initially created for developing web applications. Using the MySQL database management system, the developers can easily and efficiently manage the data of their projects because this database uses tables for storing the data. Inside the tables, there are concepts of related rows and columns that store the data with indexing. This makes the MySQL database a very popular and efficient database management system. MySQL database works on combining both the sever viz PHP and Apache web server. As we know that MySQL database is a relational database management system, it stores the data in an organized tabular form rather than storing them in a large documented format.

It stores the data in a tabular form in separate tables and there are various rows and columns inside the tables which makes it possible to store the data in a more organized manner. There are various features in MySQL database such as logical data models, views, tables, triggers, rows, and columns which make this database programming a friendly environment. There are many types of relations in MySQL databases such as one-to-one, one-to-many, and many-to-many. MySQL database follows the ACID Property (Atomicity, inconsistency. Isolation, and Durability). This helps the user to ensure that the data is atomic, consistent, isolated, and durable. SQL in MySQL stands for "Structured Query language". MySQL is a very fast secure and reliable database management system.

What is MySQL

MySQL database was developed in the year 1995 and it is a relational database management system. This database was developed to make only web-based applications. MySQL database management system is a user-friendly and easy-to-understand database management system. It uses the concept of tables to store the data using rows and columns. Inside the tables, there are related rows and columns that store the data with indexing. By saying a relational database, or management system, it means that there is a link or relation between all the entities of the data.

SQL stores the data in the form of rows and columns. In SQL, the data are stored in stack form. The user can insert data in the table, edit, insert, delete, and manipulate using various SQL commands. It follows the ACID (Atomicity, Consistency, Isolation, and Durability) property. This makes the MySQL database a very popular and efficient database management system. As we know that MySQL database is a relational database management system, it stores the data in an organized tabular form rather than storing them in a large documented format.

The five types of commands in Mysql are DDL, DQL, DML, DCL, and TCL Commands. Let us understand them one by one.

DDL

DDL stands for Data Definition Language. These commands are used to define the schema of a database. These commands are descriptive, which means they just simply define and provide a simple idea about the format of the database. Also, we can create and modify the schema of a given database. DDL commands are used to create and modify the database structure but not for the data stored in the database. Generally, the DDL commands are used by general users. The name of DDL commands is given below:

• CREATE-
  Used to create the database and its object.
• DROP-
  Used to delete an object from the database.
• ALTER-
  Used to alter the structure of the database
• TRUNCATE-
  Used to remove all of the given records in the database
• COMMENT-
  Used to add some comments in the database
• RENAME-
  Used to change the name of any existing object in the database

DQL

DQL commands are defined as those commands that are used to perform queries on the given database. The DQL command performs queries that are schema-based. DQL commands are comprised of SQL statements that are used to fetch data and perform orders on that. An example of a DQL command is SELECT. The SELECT command is used to fetch data from the given database.

DML

The DML commands are defined as those commands that are used for the manipulation of data, which belongs to Data Manipulation. DML commands are part of SQL statements that are used to control the access to data of that specific database. Generally, DCL statements are combined with DML statements. Following are the names of DML commands:

• INSERT:
  Used to insert data in the table.
• UPDATE:
  used to update the existing data in the given database.
• DELETE:
  Used to delete the records from the existing database table.
• LOCK:
  Used for controlling table concurrency.
• CALL:
  Used to call SQL/JAVA subprograms.
• EXPLAIN PLAN:
  Used to describe the access path of the data of the table.

DCL

The DCL commands are those commands that are used to provide and prohibit access to the schema of the given database. Given below are the DCL commands:

• GRANT:
  Used to provide access to the database.
• REVOKE:
  Used to withdraw access to the database.

TCL

A group of tasks is combined into a single execution unit using transactions. Each transaction starts with a particular task and is completed once every activity in the group has been properly completed. The transaction fails if any of the tasks are unsuccessful. Therefore, there are only two outcomes for a transaction: success or failure. You can research transactions in more detail. As a result, the following TCL commands are used to manage how a transaction is carried out:

• COMMIT:
  Used to commit a transaction.
• ROLLBACK:
  Used to roll back transactions, if there exists any error.
• SAVEPOINT:
  Used to save the current progress of the transaction in the given database.
• SET_TRANSACTION:
  Used to specify properties of the transaction in the database.

Now let us see the various parameters that make MySQL a very efficient and powerful tool among the developers

Database

The database is defined as a collection of a large number of information stored in a logical way so that the user can retrieve this data easily anytime they want. MySQL stores the data in tabular form. As we know that MySQL database is a relational database management system, it stores the data in an organized tabular form rather than storing them in a large documented format. It stores the data in a tabular form in separate tables and there are various rows and columns inside the tables which makes it possible to store the data in a more organized manner. Using the MySQL commands in a database, users can interact with the data stored in the database.

Open Source

MySQL database is an open-source database. It means the user can install the MySQL for free and use them. In the free version of MySQL, the user can access all the features for daily use. You can install the software from its official website. There is also an enterprise version of MySQL, where you get some additional features but the free version is also sufficient for any user. Apart from the additional features, the user also gets advanced community support in the enterprise version of the MySQL database. The GPL (GNU Public License) is responsible for deciding what features that will be provided to the customer. And it depends on the conditions like the location and traffic of a particular user.

Client-server Model

The system that installs RDBMS and then uses the RDBMS is called a "client". And when the user needs to access the data stored in the database, first they need to connect to the server of the RDBMS and then they can access the data. This is known as the "client-sever" model. MySQL is a very popular and famous relational (RDBMS) database software. Some tech giants such as Facebook, Twitter, etc used MySQL for their web applications database purpose. Initially, MySQL was not compatible with all the operating systems and all the machines. But now the MySQL database is compatible with most operating systems like LINUX, Windows, macOS, etc.

SQL vs. MySQL: What’s the Difference?

People think that SQL and MySQL are similar things but they are quite apart. SQL stands for structured query language which is nothing but a standard language that is used to design and manage databases. But, MySQL is basically a database management system (relational database management system) that helps us to store, retrieve, and manage the data present in the database. Internally, MySQL uses SQL to perform various functions such as data reading, writing, updating, deleting, etc. We have both an SQL server and a MySQL server for storing the databases. Let us now look at the various differences between MySQL and SQL.

History of MySQL

In the year 1979, Michael Widenius developed an in-house database tool that he named UNIREG. It was the start of the project MySQL. He developed the UNIREG to manage various databases and data but he rewrote this tool in various languages o handle the extent of larger databases.

After some time, Michael Widenius joined Davis Hughes (who is the author of mSQL) to connect mSQL to UNIREG's B+ISAM handler to provide an indexing feature to mSQL. In this way, MySQL was developed with the coordination of mSQL and UNIREG's B+ISAM.

Let us get familiar with the various stages of development of MySQL.

1. In the year 1995, Michael Widenius, David Axmark, and Allan Larsson founded MySQL AB in Sweden.
2. In the year 2000, MySQL was made open source and its software was released under the GPL licensing terms but the revenues dropped by 80%.
3. In the year 2001, Marten Mickos was elected as its CEO at the age of 38 years. He was the CEO of several companies before joining MySQL. Marten Mickos has a marketing and sales background. This made the company estimated revenue of around 1 to 2 million dollars.
4. In the year 2002, in addition to the headquarters in Sweden, MySQL launched several new headquarters and at this stage, the company has more than 3 million active users. This made a revenue of 6 million at the end of the year 2002. By this time, there were more than 1000 paying customers.
5. In 2003, sales rose to 19.5 million dollars from index ventures and benchmark capital. At this stage, the number of active users reached tp 4 million and the number of downloads became more than 30 thousand per day.
6. In 2004, MySQL introduced the dual-licensing OEM model as the company decided to move into the enterprise market. The company decided to move to focus on the recurring revenue from the end users. Now, the company did not ask for the one-time licensing fee from the OEM partners but it was asked from the end user.
7. In the year 2005, the MySQL network model was launched after the Redhat network. The MySQL network is a premium subscription-based offering that caters to end-users and aims to facilitate the management of a large number of MySQL servers for companies. The service entails comprehensive support, including periodic updates, alerts, notifications, and product-level assistance, to streamline server management.
8. The latest iteration of MySQL, MySQL 5, boasts several advanced features, such as stored procedures, triggers, views, cursors, distributed transactions, and federated storage engines, among others, which have been specifically developed to cater to enterprises clients. Notably, Oracle, a leading software giant, acquired Innobase, a Finnish company with just four employees, and the creators of MySQL's InnoDB storage backend. Infobase's 3400 customers contributed to its impressive year-end revenue of $34 million.
9. In the year 2006, During an interview, Marten Mickos, the former CEO of MySQL, verified that Oracle had expressed interest in acquiring the company. In response, Oracle's CEO Larry Ellison stated that they had spoken to nearly all potential acquisition targets, including MySQL, but was hesitant due to its relatively small revenue. Despite this, Oracle went on to purchase Sleepycat, a company that provided the Berkeley db transactional storage engine for MySQL.
10. In the year 2007, the company's revenue raised to 75 million dollars.
11. In the year 2008, Sun Microsystems made an acquisition deal of nearly $1 billion to obtain the company MySQL AB. Following the acquisition, Michael Widenius (popularly known as Monty) and David Axmark, who were co-founders of MySQL AB, expressed their dissatisfaction with Sun through public criticism. Shortly after, both Widenius and Axmark chose to depart from Sun.
12. In the year 2009, Following his departure from Sun, Marten Mickos, the former CEO of MySQL, has taken on a new role as an entrepreneur-in-residence at Benchmark Capital. With his departure, Sun Microsystems has not only lost a prominent business leader but also a spiritual guide who played an instrumental role in turning MySQL into a resounding success.
13. In a recent announcement, Sun Microsystems and Oracle have entered into a definitive agreement, according to which Oracle will be acquiring Sun's common stock for a cash payment of $9.50 per share. This acquisition is estimated to be worth a massive $7.4 billion, and it marks a significant milestone for both companies as they move towards a new phase of growth and development.

Why is MySQL So Popular?

Now let us see the what are features of MySQL and what are the various reasons behind the popularity and demand of MySQL.

Flexible and Easy to Use

The rigid storage arrangements that result from MySQL's relational structure may appear to be limiting, yet the tabular paradigm is probably the most user-friendly and eventually enables higher use. In fact, MySQL makes a lot of accommodations to support as many different types of data structures as possible, ranging from the basic yet robust logical, numeric, alphanumeric, date, and time types to more sophisticated JSON or geographical data. The MySQL ecosystem contains a number of tools, easing everything from server maintenance to reporting and data analysis. These tools go beyond simple data types and an extensive built-in feature set. Users can invariably locate a MySQL feature that enables them to describe and codify data whatever they choose, regardless of the overall architecture of the RDBMS.

High Performance

MySQL uses storage engine architecture that makes this database more fast, highly reliable, and less price. In spite of providing these kinds of high-end performance, it is free to use. The user can access these high-performance features for free. MySQL also uses the cache memory concept.

An Industry Standard

There are many big organizations that are using the MySQL database for many years. The high scalability of MySQL makes this database user-friendly which makes it very popular among the users and developers. There are many resources available from which the user can learn about the uses of MySQL. So, all these features make this database a popular industry choice. Users of MySQL are able to predict quick software development and independent professionals who are eager to work for less money when they need them.

Secure

MySQL database provides all the safety measures to ensure data safety. There are various plugins available in MySQL that help to secure the data by doing an authentication process. There is a password validation component available in MySQL which ensures the password should be strong it is of enough length. There are keyring plugins that are used to store sensitive and private information in your database without worrying about any safety issues. There is also a Firewall available in the enterprise version of MySQL, which detects and resolves any kind of vulnerable threat and attacks from the internet. Data masking and de-identification functions are used in MySQL to hide any sensitive information.

Reliability

MySQL is one of the most popular and user-friendly database management systems. It has been useful for developers for more than 25 years in the field. Some of the very giant tech companies using MySQL in their organization for many years and they are very satisfied with this database.

Scalability

The scalability of MySQL database is much higher. This is one of the obvious reason why big tech giants such as Facebook uses this database management system. The organization is able to scale the application which supports billions of users over the application.

High availability

MySQL is able to provide high availability to users in case of any disaster or technical faults. It ensures that the data will remain safe and there will be no data loss at all.

Flexibility

MySQL is a very flexible database management system that provides the user to work seamlessly over the MySQL server and perform various operations over the database.