Keeping cyberspace organized, MySQL is for everyone. Find out more about this database software.

What is MySQL?
MySQL is a type of database software that runs on a server. A database can enable your site to automatically collect and store information in an organized, searchable format, without you having to even be involved. Most large web sites such as CNET, Ebay, Yahoo and others rely on a database of some kind to store the information that they display on their sites. Some discussion forums and guestbooks even use databases to store things more efficiently. There are many types of databases that can be run on a server, such as Microsoft Access, Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle, Sybase, and others.

MySQL is a popular open source database, open source meaning that unlike most other database servers, there is no expensive licensing fee to use it. This makes it popular with web hosts who want to offer it to their customers as part of an economical hosting package. MySQL is known for its speed and reliability and because of its popularity is easy to get help with.

Data can be stored without using a database, but for large amounts of information that is to be picked apart and presented in different combinations, a database can be much faster and more efficient for the job. MySQL uses a Structured Query Language (SQL) that makes it easy to ask the database for things, as well as to add, edit or delete things from the database. MySQL can handle many requests at a time and can search millions of records quickly, so it is great for large data stores, yet it also works well for small databases. Many popular scripting languages such as PHP and Perl are MySQL friendly. In fact, PHP and MySQL are commonly found together because PHP makes it especially easy to communicate with the database and to format and display the results of the query.

How do I Build and Manage a Database?
Historically, only programmer types have been able to work with databases, since it required a good knowledge of the SQL language and an ability to get around using a UNIX command line, not to mention a hosting package that allowed command-line access to the server. Nowadays however, most hosting services provide PHPMyAdmin, a web-based tool that lets you point and click to create and work with your MySQL database, and is almost easy enough for a "normal" person to use.

Do I need MySQL?
Generally, databases can be frustrating for inexperienced users to work with. If you don't know a lot about working with databases, then you probably aren't ready for MySQL, unless you have someone who can walk you through it or do it for you. Personal web sites rarely use a database directly, and e-commerce web sites typically use more specialize "shopping cart" software. Sites that are good candidates for needing a database are ones that will have large stores of information that need to be searched in different ways or sites that are built "on the fly" from information from a database. Many hosting customers try to find a hosting plan that includes MySQL support "just in case" they need it, but generally only a minority of hosting customers do more than "play around with it" on their site. Keep in mind though that some CGIs may require access to a database, so if you plan to run any heavy duty CGIs on your site you may want to consider having MySQL access as an available option.