What is MySQL?

MySQL is an open-source relational database management system. As with other relational databases, MySQL stores data in tables made up of rows and columns. Users can define, manipulate, control, and query data using Structured Query Language, more commonly known as SQL. MySQL’s name is a combination of “My,” the name of MySQL creator Michael Widenius’s daughter, and “SQL”.

A flexible and powerful program, MySQL is the most popular open-source database system in the world. As part of the widely-used LAMP technology stack (which consists of a Linux-based operating system, the Apache web server, a MySQL database, and PHP for processing), it’s used to store and retrieve data in a wide variety of popular applications, websites, and services.

For more educational resources related to MySQL, please visit:

• How To Install MySQL
• Understanding Relational Databases
• An Introduction to Queries in MySQL

A complete list of our educational resources on MySQL can be found on our MySQL tag page.