Wikipedia

MySQL

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MySQL is a very fast, multi-threaded, multi-user and robust SQL (Structured Query Language) relational database server. MySQL is free software: it is licensed under the GNU General Public License. It was written and is maintained by the Swedish company MySQL AB, which sells support and service contracts as well as commercially licensed copies of MySQL and employs people all over the world who communicate over the internet. MySQL AB was set up by two Swedes and a Finn: David Axmark, Allan Larsson and Michael "Monty" Widenius. Despite the widespread pronunciation of SQL being "sequel", the generally accepted pronunciation of MySQL by professionals is "My ess-que-ell", not "My-Sequel".

Platforms

MySQL is open source and works on many different platforms including AIX, BSDi, FreeBSD, HP-UX, Linux, Mac OS X, NetBSD, OpenBSD, OS/2 Warp, SGI IRIX, Solaris, SunOS, SCO OpenServer, SCO UnixWare, Tru64, Windows 95, 98, NT and 2000.

Programming Languages

MySQL databases can be accessed using the programming languages C, C++, Eiffel, Java, Perl, PHP, Python, and Tcl; for each of these, a specific API is available. An ODBC interface called MyODBC is also available.

Early versions

Early versions of MySQL included few standard DBMS features (transactions, stored procedures), and lead some database experts including Chris Date and Fabian Pascal to criticize MySQL, particularly for the lack of transactions, as well as enforced integrity constraints, which in other DBMSes allow the database system to ensure that applications cannot insert inconsistent values. [1]

The latest production version

The latest production version is 4.0. It includes the following features:

  • A broad subset of ANSI SQL 99, as well as extensions.
  • Cross-platform support
  • Independent storage engines (MyISAM for read speed, InnoDB for transactions and referential integrity)
  • Transactions
  • SSL Support
  • Query caching
  • Replication
  • Full-text indexing and searching
  • Embedded database library

It does not include the following features:

  • Sub-SELECTs (or nested SELECTs)
  • multibyte character encoding or Unicode/UTF-8
  • Stored procedures

The development version

Version 4.1 is the development version, and includes support for the following features:

  • Sub-SELECTS
  • UTF-8
  • Support for geographical data (OpenGIS)
  • Derived tables
  • Multi-line queries

Future releases

MySQL 5.0 will contain support for the following features:

  • Stored procedures
  • Triggers
  • Cursors
  • True VARCHAR support
  • Easier GIS access

MySQL 5.1 will contain support for:

  • Foreign key support for all table types
  • Online backup
  • Fail-safe replication
  • Column-level constraints

MySQL 6.0 will contain support for views.

Wikipedia on MySQL

In August 2001, a test version of the Wikipedia software using PHP and MySQL appeared; in January 2002 it was adopted as the new software running Wikipedia. See the Wikipedia PHP script page. In May 2003, this code base was upgraded to MySQL version 4.0.12 from the previous version 3.x.

See also: PostgreSQL, Berkeley DB

  • MySQL web site [2]
  • MySQL roadmap [3]
  • Database Debunking [4]
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