MySQL

MySQL iscomputer software product,multithreadeded, multi-user, SQL (Structured Query Language) relational database server. MySQL, as free software, utilisesGNU General Public License. The PHP-MySQL combinationalso cross-platform.

The Swedish company MySQL AB writesmaintainssystem, selling supportservice contracts, as well as commercially-licensed copiesMySQL,employing people all overworld who communicate overinternet. Two Swedes andFinn founded MySQL AB: David Axmark, Allan LarssonMichael "Monty" Widenius. Despitewidespread pronunciation"SQL" as "sequel," professionals generally pronounce "MySQL" as "my ess-que-ell," not "my-sequel."

Tablecontents

1 Platformss
2 Programming Languages
3 Uses
4 The latest production version
5 The development version
6 Future releases
7 CriticismsMySQL
8 Wikipedia on MySQL
9 External links

Platformss

MySQL, an open source product, 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, Windows 98, Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows XP,more recent versionsWindows.

Programming Languages

Programming languages—which can access MySQL databases—include C, C++, Eiffel, Java, Perl, PHP, Python, Ruby,Tcl; eachthese usingspecific API. An ODBC interface called MyODBC also exists. MySQL uses C as its "native" language.

Uses

MySQLpopularweb applicationsacts asdatabase componentLAMP.

The latest production version

As2003, MySQL offers production version 4.0. It includesfollowing features:

A broad subsetANSI SQL 99, as well as extensions
Cross-platform support
Independent storage engines (MyISAMread speed, InnoDBtransactionsreferential integrity)
Transactions
SSL Support
Query caching
Replication
Full-text indexingsearching
Embedded database library

It does not includefollowing features:

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

The development version

As2003,development version, Version 4.1, includes support forfollowing features:

Sub-SELECTS
UTF-8
Supportgeographical data (OpenGIS)
Derived tables
Multi-line queries

Future releases

MySQL 5.0 will contain support forfollowing features:

Stored procedures
Triggers
Cursors
True VARCHAR support
Easier GIS access

MySQL 5.1 will contain support for:

Foreign key supportall table types
Online backup
Fail-safe replication
Column-level constraints

MySQL 6.0 will contain supportviews.

CriticismsMySQL

Early versionsMySQL included few standard DBMS features, andcurrent production version still lacks many properties foundother SQL DBMSes. This has led some database experts, such as Chris Date Fabian Pascal,criticize MySQL as falling shortbeingDBMS. [1]

Many ofearly criticisms have been remediedlater versions ofsoftware, includinglacktransactionsrelational integrity constraints. Thesefeatures necessarysupport"ACID properties"relational databases, which allowDBMSensure that client applications cannot interfereone another or insert inconsistent values. [1] Other criticisms include MySQL's divergence fromSQL standard onsubjecttreatmentNULL valuesdefault values. [1]

Critics find MySQL's popularity surprising inlight ofexistenceother open-source database projectscomparable performancein closer compliance toSQL standards. MySQL advocates reply thatprogram serves its purposeits users, whowillingacceptprogram's limitations (which decreaseevery major revision)exchangespeed, simplicity,rapid development.

Wikipedia on MySQL

In August 2001,test version ofWikipedia software using PHPMySQL appeared;January 2002becamenew software running Wikipedia. SeeMediaWiki page. In May 2003, this code base underwent an upgradeMySQL version 4.0.12 fromprevious version 3.x.

See also: PostgreSQL, Berkeley DB, Firebird, ODBC.