MySQL is a relational database management system (RDBMS) that runs as a server providing multi-user access to a number of databases. MySQL is officially pronounced /maɪˌɛskjuːˈɛl/ ("My S-Q-L"), but is often pronounced /maɪˈsiːkwəl/ ("My Sequel"). It is named for original developer Michael Widenius's daughter My.
The MySQL development project has made its source code available under the terms of the GNU General Public License, as well as under a variety of proprietary agreements. MySQL is owned and sponsored by a single for-profit firm, the Swedish company MySQL AB, now owned by Sun Microsystems, a subsidiary of Oracle Corporation. Ever since Oracle has stepped into the picture, they have make good on their promises to make steady strides in MySQL development, which have come to fruition heretofore by means of better performance and configurability.
In keeping with spirit of open source liberty and freedom, forks of MySQL have propelled in the OpenSource DB World: Percona, OurDelta, MariaDB and Drizzle.
MySQL can run on multiple platforms (32-bit and 64-bit)
- Linux (Redhat Enterprise, Oracle Enterprise, Generic)
- Sun Solaris
- Mac OS X
- Free BSD
- Microsoft Windows
- Source Code
MySQL features the use of several storage engines
- InnoDB (default as of MySQL 5.5)
- MyISAM (default prior to MySQL 5.5)
- ARCHIVE
- BLACKHOLE
- CSV
- MEMORY
- MRG_MYISAM
- FEDERATED
- NDB a.k.a. MySQL Cluster
Each storage engine has unique properties that make effective usage of data depending on
- Read Performance
- Write Performance
- Tuning the Settings
- Storage Requirements
Other third party storage engines have been used in MySQL including:
