What is MySQL

MySQL is a fast, easy to use relational database. It is currently the most popular open-source database. It is very commonly used in conjunction with PHP scripts to create powerful and dynamic server-side applications.

MySQL is used for many small and big businesses. It is developed, marketed and supported by MySQL AB, a Swedish company. It is written in C and C++.

Reasons of popularity

MySQL is becoming so popular because of these following reasons:

• MySQL is an open-source database so you don't have to pay a single penny to use it.
• MySQL is a very powerful program so it can handle a large set of functionality of the most expensive and powerful database packages.
• MySQL is customizable because it is an open source database and the open-source GPL license facilitates programmers to modify the SQL software according to their own specific environment.
• MySQL is quicker than other databases so it can work well even with the large data set.
• MySQL supports many operating systems with many languages like PHP, PERL, C, C++, JAVA, etc.
• MySQL uses a standard form of the well-known SQL data language.
• MySQL is very friendly with PHP, the most popular language for web development.
• MySQL supports large databases, up to 50 million rows or more in a table. The default file size limit for a table is 4GB, but you can increase this (if your operating system can handle it) to a theoretical limit of 8 million terabytes (TB).