MySQL is the most widely used database management system. This article discusses some of the reasons why you should take the time and effort to learn MySQL, Version 5.

Why Learn MySQL5?

We assume if you are reading this article that you have been convinced to learn MySQL. Perhaps you are new to MySQL or perhaps you are already experienced with MySQL4. Now the question is why should you do MySQL5? After all, MySQL4 is quite good. Yes, but depending on what you are doing MySQL5 can be better, much better. Just a simple reminder, we feel that most people who are new to programming should start with MySQL4. Most people learn to walk before they learn to skate. But many great hockey players learned to ice skate before they learned to walk.

There are many fairly technical reasons for moving to MySQL5. In many cases the absence of just one of the technical features discussed in this article would be reason enough for people to refuse MySQL4 despite its many features and advantages. With these features MySQL5 is now in the database management big leagues. This product should be considered for any database management project no matter how large or sophisticated. When we say large databases we mean it. MySQL is now used in some commercial applications that involve more than 20 billion rows of data. Sabre Holdings runs the world’s largest on-line airline reservation system with MySQL.

One of many screens in setting up a MySQL5 database.

Among the technical database features that are considered an integral part of sophisticated database management solutions are stored procedures, triggers, named-updateable views, server-side cursors, type enhancements, standards-compliant metadata (INFORMATION_SCHEMA), XA-style distributed transactions, and hot backups. (This is not the place to explain these functions, don’t worry if you don’t know what they mean until you are ready to start using them.) If that sounds like a lot to learn, it is. But if you need any or all of this functionality you will swear by MySQL5. And swear at MySQL4. If this is what you need don’t look for workarounds, download MySQL5.

MySQL5 can run on old computers. For example, I downloaded MySQL5, copied it to a USB pen drive and then copied the files, less than 90 Megabytes, into a Pentium computer purchased new in August, 1999. I couldn’t run MySQL5 under Windows 98 because the system didn’t recognize my USB drive. But I ran MySQL5 under Windows 2000 on this computer, which had an Internet browser but no live Internet connection. Moral of the story: You can do MySQL5 even on outdated computers. Needless to say, you won’t be testing your huge, sophisticated databases on such computers. But you can use them to start to learn the ins and outs of this important language.