Beginner Series: MySQL Tutorial
MySQL is a popular database platform for businesses because it is extremely easy to use. It is commonly used in combination with PHP. You hear “it’s easy to work with” a lot in relation to computer languages, but MySQL truly is simple.
For instance, someone with little to no knowledge of MySQL can easily establish a database and activate a WordPress install, all manually. Of course, a lot of hosting providers make this process even simpler by handling all the necessary tasks for new website administrators, but it doesn’t detract from the point that MySQL is relatively easy to use.
Not to mention, there are a wide variety of tools that take advantage of MySQL, especially open-source e-commerce platforms like OsCommerce, Magento, Joomla, and more.
Some of the other advantages of working with MySQL include:
- MySQL is Secure: It uses solid data security layers to protect sensitive data from outside access. Individual rights can be set to provide multiple user levels, allowing several people access to stored data. All passwords used to access the MySQL database are encrypted.
- MySQL is Inexpensive: Since the MySQL database software is free to download from the official portal, and comes included pre-installed on most hosting servers it’s not expensive to use or maintain.
- MySQL Manages Memory: The database software has been shown to manage memory exceedingly well, and actually prevents memory leaks you might experience on a server where it’s not deployed.
- MySQL is Heavily Supported: You can run the software on a variety of platforms and operating systems including Windows, Linux, Novell NetWare, UNIX (Sun Solaris, AIX, DEC UNIX), OS/2, FreeBSD and more.
- MySQL is Fast: When compared to other database software like Sybase and Oracle, MySQL has fewer features to offer but this is good. It means that MySQL is much faster in terms of performance, and users still have access to all the necessary features they would through other database platforms.
- MySQL Data Storage is Scalable: By default, MySQL can handle a total file size limit of about 4GB, however, this can be increased to meet your needs – by as much as 8TB of data.
- MySQL Supports Novell Cluster Services: NetWare’s Novell Cluster Services offer a server-side database extension to protect your data in the event of a hardware failure. With your MySQL content stored on a Novell cluster, if one server fails, the software will take over on an alternate server – this keeps your website and applications running smoothly, with nary a hiccup. Your customers will never even notice that a server went down.
What Jobs Require Knowledge of MySQL?
Any jobs that require knowledge of MySQL are going to involve back-end or server-side development. Some examples of job titles that require knowledge of MySQL are:
- Backend or Database Engineer
- SQL Server Database Administrator
- Senior Web or Application Developer
- MySQL Database Administrator
- PHP Developer
- Lead Software Engineer
- Full Stack Engineer/Developer
The Best Place to Start
As always, we recommend heading to the official portal for MySQL to get your learning journey started. There you will learn how to install the software for use in a local environment, how to create your first database and more.
Next, we’re going to talk about the Features MySQL Has to Offer.
Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers.
