MySQL is the most popular open-source database in the world. MySQL is a Relational Database Management System (RDMS) which is used to store data in a relational manner inside different tables. What makes MySQL different is it is production-ready enterprise-level features without a cost or lower costs. The name of the MySQL comes from the creator’s daughter name which is My
.
MySQL History
First, we will start with some information about the MySQL history of how it created and grow up today’s popularity.
- MySQL is created as an open-source database product by MySQL AB in 1995 in Sweden.
- MySQL was priority products where it went open source in 2000 which dropped their revenue about %80.
- MySQL reached 3 million active users at the end of 2002.
- MySQL changed the business model with the dual-licensing model and targeted enterprise market rather than end-users.
- Sun Microsystems acquired MySQL AB for 1 billion USD in 2008.
- Oracle acquired Sun Microsystems as well as MySQL too in 2009.
MySQL Editions
As its licensing models and services, MySQL has different editions. These editions are created to provide flexible plans for the customers with only required features. Here is the list of currently available MySQL editions. From the list only MySQL Community Editin
is free so others have different licensing costs. This also makes MySQL Community Edition most popular MySQL version.
- MySQL Community Edition
- MySQL Standard Edition
- MySQL Classic Edition
- MySQL Enterprise Edition
- MySQL Cluster CGE
- MySQL Embedded
MySQL Community Edition
As stated previously MySQL Community Edition
is the freely downloaded version of the MySQL. It is licensed under the GPL license and support provided by a huge, helpful community. MySQL Community Edition provides the following features.
- Supports both Relational SQL and NoSQL
- Provides MySQL Document Store
Transactional Data Dictionary
with atomic DDL statement for reliabilityPluggable Storage Engine Architecture
support like (InnoDB, NDB, MyISAM, etc)Replication
support for performance and scalabilityGroup Replication
support to fault tolerance, automated failover, elasticityInnoDB Cluster
Router
to deliver requests between applications and multiple MySQL serversPartitioning
to improve performance and large database dataStored Procedures
to improve productivity and lower operation costTriggers
to enforce complex business rules at the MySQL databaseViews
to filer sensitive data and create new virtual tablesPerformance Schema
for performance monitoring and resource consumptionInformation Schema
for easy access to the database, table, row information, and metadataMySQL Connectors
to connect the database from different languages and platforms like C, C++, Python, .Net, PHP, etc.MySQL Workbench
for the GUI tool and management tool for MySQL server.
MySQL Standard Edition
MySQL Standard Edition is created for the applications that needing high performance and scalable Online Transaction Processing (OLTP). It has extra features to the MySQL Community Editions.
Fully Integrated InnoDB
which will make the transactions safe.ACID Compliant
Advanced Replication
will provide enterprise-level replication.
MySQL Classic Edition and MySQL Embedded Edition
MySQL Classic Edition is designed or ISVs, OEMs, and VARs for developing read-intensive applications with the MyISAM engine. This edition has zero administration and high performance with low resource needs. MySQL Classic Edition is ideal for embedded applications which do not need or have client and server communication.
MySQL Enterprise Edition
MySQL Enterprise Edition is the most popular enterprise-level version of MySQL database. It provides all features an enterprise-level database needs. This edition provides advanced features, management tools with technical support. This edition will lower the risk, cost, and complexity of business-critical database operations.
Oracle MySQL Cloud Serice
is built on MySQL Enterprise Edition where the workload can be balanced between on-premise and on cloudMySQL Document Store
is an engine where scheme-free document database can be created in SQLMySQL Enterprise Transparent Data Encryption (TDE)
enabled data-at-rest encryption for securityMySQL Enterprise Masking and De-identification
will mask sensitive data and replace real values with substitutesMySQL Enterprise Backup
will take online “Hot” backups of databasesMySQL Enterprise High Availability
will provide HA for multiple database serversMySQL Enterprise Scalability
will load balance users, query and transactionsMySQL Enterprise Authentication
provides 3rd party and external authentication modules like Active Directory, PAM, etc.MySQL Enterprise Encryption
will handle encryption, key generations, digital signatures, and other cryptographic operationsMySQL Enterprise Firewall
will guard against real-time attacks like SQL Injection and provide security monitoringMySQL Enterprise Audit
will provide policy-based auditing and compliance and create alertsMySQL Technical Support
service will provide direct access to the experts 7×24.
MySQL Cluster CGE
MySQL Cluster CGE
provides linear scalability and high availability. Also, it has features like in-memory real-time access across partitioned and distributed datasets. Following features are provided by MySQLCluster CGE.
99.9999% Availability
will make the database services always available time-critical applications.In-memory Real-Time Database
will provide real-time response to the queries and transactionsAuto-partitioning and Scalability
will create shards automatically to scale database with extra hardwareParallel Distributed Query Engine
will provide multiple queries runs at the same time in a parallel mannerSQL and NoSQL
support will be provided at the same timeMulti-site Clusters with Active&Active Geographical Replication
will provide Active& Active deployments in a multisite environmentOnline Scaling & Schema Upgrades
support active or online scheme changes and scaling without stopping or distributing database services
Download MySQL
MySQL Community Edition is the most popular edition. It is provided from the following download page in order to download and install different components into different operating systems like Windows, Linux, Ubuntu, CentOS, etc.
https://dev.mysql.com/downloads/

Other paid versions can be downloaded from the following page with a customer account. But also Trial
versions can be downloaded for a test drive too.
https://www.mysql.com/downloads/

PHP and MySQL
PHP is the closest friend of MySQL. PHP is a programming language where a lot of PHP tools, applications, frameworks use MySQL database by default. Both PHP and MySQL are cross-platform applications that can be used in Windows, Linux, MacOS, etc. But generally, the Linux platform is preferred for both PHP and MySQL.
phpMyAdmin
phpMyAdmin
is a web GUI created to manage MySQL databases. phpMyAdmin is a free tool that is developed with PHP programming language.

MySQL Alternatives
MySQL is the most popular opensource RDMS but there are also different type of alternatives which may provide similar or more features. Here a list of alternatives for MySQL.
PostgreSQL
is the most enterprise-ready alternative to MySQL. PostgreSQL can provide more than MySQL but it needs more technical ability for management.MariaDB
is the clone of MySQL which is created for more liberty. MariaDB is compatible with most of the MySQL features and tools.Firebird
is the embedded database used for serverless applications.