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     <h3 class="title">
      <a name="what-is-mysql">
      </a>
      1.2.1 What is MySQL?
     </h3>
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  <p>
   MySQL, the most popular Open Source SQL database management
      system, is developed, distributed, and supported by Oracle
      Corporation.
  </p>
  <p>
   The MySQL website (
   <a class="ulink" href="http://www.mysql.com/" target="_blank">
    http://www.mysql.com/
   </a>
   ) provides
      the latest information about MySQL software.
  </p>
  <div class="itemizedlist">
   <ul class="itemizedlist" style="list-style-type: disc; ">
    <li class="listitem">
     <p>
      <span class="bold">
       <strong>
        MySQL is a database management
          system.
       </strong>
      </span>
     </p>
     <p>
      A database is a structured collection of data. It may be
          anything from a simple shopping list to a picture gallery or
          the vast amounts of information in a corporate network. To
          add, access, and process data stored in a computer database,
          you need a database management system such as MySQL Server.
          Since computers are very good at handling large amounts of
          data, database management systems play a central role in
          computing, as standalone utilities, or as parts of other
          applications.
     </p>
    </li>
    <li class="listitem">
     <p>
      <span class="bold">
       <strong>
        MySQL databases are
          relational.
       </strong>
      </span>
     </p>
     <p>
      <a class="indexterm" name="idm46045335233152">
      </a>
      A relational database stores data in separate tables rather
          than putting all the data in one big storeroom. The database
          structures are organized into physical files optimized for
          speed. The logical model, with objects such as databases,
          tables, views, rows, and columns, offers a flexible
          programming environment. You set up rules governing the
          relationships between different data fields, such as
          one-to-one, one-to-many, unique, required or optional, and
      <span class="quote">
       “
       <span class="quote">
        pointers
       </span>
       ”
      </span>
      between different tables. The database
          enforces these rules, so that with a well-designed database,
          your application never sees inconsistent, duplicate, orphan,
          out-of-date, or missing data.
     </p>
     <p>
      The SQL part of
      <span class="quote">
       “
       <span class="quote">
        MySQL
       </span>
       ”
      </span>
      stands for
      <span class="quote">
       “
       <span class="quote">
        Structured Query Language
       </span>
       ”
      </span>
      . SQL is the most
          common standardized language used to access databases.
          Depending on your programming environment, you might enter SQL
          directly (for example, to generate reports), embed SQL
          statements into code written in another language, or use a
          language-specific API that hides the SQL syntax.
     </p>
     <p>
      SQL is defined by the ANSI/ISO SQL Standard. The SQL standard
          has been evolving since 1986 and several versions exist. In
          this manual,
      <span class="quote">
       “
       <span class="quote">
        SQL-92
       </span>
       ”
      </span>
      refers to the standard
          released in 1992,
      <span class="quote">
       “
       <span class="quote">
        SQL:1999
       </span>
       ”
      </span>
      refers to the
          standard released in 1999, and
      <span class="quote">
       “
       <span class="quote">
        SQL:2003
       </span>
       ”
      </span>
      refers
          to the current version of the standard. We use the phrase
      <span class="quote">
       “
       <span class="quote">
        the SQL standard
       </span>
       ”
      </span>
      to mean the current version of
          the SQL Standard at any time.
     </p>
    </li>
    <li class="listitem">
     <p>
      <span class="bold">
       <strong>
        MySQL software is Open
          Source.
       </strong>
      </span>
     </p>
     <p>
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      Open Source means that it is possible for anyone to use and
          modify the software. Anybody can download the MySQL software
          from the Internet and use it without paying anything. If you
          wish, you may study the source code and change it to suit your
          needs. The MySQL software uses the GPL (GNU General Public
          License),
      <a class="ulink" href="http://www.fsf.org/licenses/" target="_blank">
       http://www.fsf.org/licenses/
      </a>
      , to
          define what you may and may not do with the software in
          different situations. If you feel uncomfortable with the GPL
          or need to embed MySQL code into a commercial application, you
          can buy a commercially licensed version from us. See the MySQL
          Licensing Overview for more information
          (
      <a class="ulink" href="http://www.mysql.com/company/legal/licensing/" target="_blank">
       http://www.mysql.com/company/legal/licensing/
      </a>
      ).
     </p>
    </li>
    <li class="listitem">
     <p>
      <span class="bold">
       <strong>
        The MySQL Database Server is very fast,
          reliable, scalable, and easy to use.
       </strong>
      </span>
     </p>
     <p>
      If that is what you are looking for, you should give it a try.
          MySQL Server can run comfortably on a desktop or laptop,
          alongside your other applications, web servers, and so on,
          requiring little or no attention. If you dedicate an entire
          machine to MySQL, you can adjust the settings to take
          advantage of all the memory, CPU power, and I/O capacity
          available. MySQL can also scale up to clusters of machines,
          networked together.
     </p>
     <p>
      MySQL Server was originally developed to handle large
          databases much faster than existing solutions and has been
          successfully used in highly demanding production environments
          for several years. Although under constant development, MySQL
          Server today offers a rich and useful set of functions. Its
          connectivity, speed, and security make MySQL Server highly
          suited for accessing databases on the Internet.
     </p>
    </li>
    <li class="listitem">
     <p>
      <span class="bold">
       <strong>
        MySQL Server works in client/server or
          embedded systems.
       </strong>
      </span>
     </p>
     <p>
      The MySQL Database Software is a client/server system that
          consists of a multithreaded SQL server that supports different
          back ends, several different client programs and libraries,
          administrative tools, and a wide range of application
          programming interfaces (APIs).
     </p>
     <p>
      We also provide MySQL Server as an embedded multithreaded
          library that you can link into your application to get a
          smaller, faster, easier-to-manage standalone product.
     </p>
    </li>
    <li class="listitem">
     <p>
      <span class="bold">
       <strong>
        A large amount of contributed MySQL
          software is available.
       </strong>
      </span>
     </p>
     <p>
      MySQL Server has a practical set of features developed in
          close cooperation with our users. It is very likely that your
          favorite application or language supports the MySQL Database
          Server.
     </p>
    </li>
    <li class="listitem">
     <p>
      <span class="bold">
       <strong>
        HeatWave.
       </strong>
      </span>
     </p>
     <p>
      HeatWave is a fully managed database service, powered by the
          HeatWave in-memory query accelerator. It is the only cloud
          service that combines transactions, real-time analytics across
          data warehouses and data lakes, and machine learning in one
          MySQL Database; without the complexity, latency, risks, and
          cost of ETL duplication. It is available on OCI, AWS, and
          Azure. Learn more at:
      <a class="ulink" href="https://www.oracle.com/mysql/" target="_blank">
       https://www.oracle.com/mysql/
      </a>
      .
     </p>
    </li>
   </ul>
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  <p>
   The official way to pronounce
   <span class="quote">
    “
    <span class="quote">
     MySQL
    </span>
    ”
   </span>
   is
   <span class="quote">
    “
    <span class="quote">
     My
      Ess Que Ell
    </span>
    ”
   </span>
   (not
   <span class="quote">
    “
    <span class="quote">
     my sequel
    </span>
    ”
   </span>
   ), but we do not
      mind if you pronounce it as
   <span class="quote">
    “
    <span class="quote">
     my sequel
    </span>
    ”
   </span>
   or in some
      other localized way.
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