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What Is MySQL? The Most Popular Database on the Web
A complete guide to the MySQL database — relational databases, SQL basics, WordPress integration, performance optimization and WooCommerce.
What is MySQL?
MySQL is the most popular open-source RDBMS (relational database management system). It stores data in tables with rows and columns and uses the SQL language for queries. It powers WordPress, WooCommerce, Drupal, Joomla and millions of other sites. The MariaDB fork is 100% compatible. BeoHosting offers unlimited MySQL databases with phpMyAdmin and the InnoDB engine in all shared plans.
- MySQL = the #1 database for the web
- Powers WordPress, WooCommerce, Drupal
- SQL language for queries (SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE)
- phpMyAdmin GUI in cPanel
- BeoHosting: unlimited databases
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What is MySQL and why does it matter?
MySQL is an open-source relational database management system (RDBMS) used by millions of sites and applications around the world. It was created in 1995 by the Swedish company MySQL AB and is maintained today by Oracle Corporation.
Think of MySQL as a digital filing cabinet that organizes data into tables with rows and columns. Instead of looking for information by hand, you use the SQL language to quickly find, add or change data. Every time you visit a WordPress site, a MySQL database in the background delivers the content you see.
MySQL is especially important for e-commerce sites, because WooCommerce stores all products, orders, customers and transactions in a MySQL database. Database performance directly affects your site’s loading speed, which is crucial for SEO and user experience. BeoHosting offers optimized MySQL servers on all VPS and shared hosting plans.
How does MySQL work?
MySQL works on a client-server model. Here is what a typical data flow looks like, from request to display:
The application sends an SQL query
When you open a WordPress page, the PHP code sends an SQL query to the MySQL database. For example, a request to display the latest 10 blog posts generates a SELECT query.
MySQL processes the query
The MySQL engine parses the SQL query, uses the optimizer to find the most efficient way to execute it, and searches the data using indexes for maximum speed.
The result from the database
The database returns the requested data to the PHP application in a structured format. Results can be cached for faster access the next time the same data is requested.
Display to the user
The PHP application receives the data from the database, combines it with the HTML theme and sends the finished page to the user. The whole process happens in milliseconds for an optimized database.
Key MySQL database concepts
Understanding these concepts helps you manage your site’s database more efficiently.
Tables
The basic structure for storing data. Each table has columns (fields) and rows (records). WordPress uses 12 default tables — wp_posts, wp_users.
wp_posts: ID | post_title | post_content | post_date
SQL queries
Structured Query Language (SQL) is the language for communicating with the database. You use SELECT to read, INSERT to add, UPDATE to update and DELETE to remove data.
SELECT * FROM wp_posts WHERE post_status = "publish"
Relations
Tables are linked to each other via keys. For example, the wp_posts table is linked to the wp_postmeta table via the post_id column, which allows additional data to be stored efficiently.
wp_posts.ID → wp_postmeta.post_id (one-to-many)
Indexes
Indexes speed up searching for data in a table, much like the index at the back of a book. Without an index, the database has to scan every row — with an index, it jumps straight to the result.
An INDEX on post_date speeds up sorting posts by date
MySQL for WordPress and WooCommerce
WordPress and WooCommerce depend entirely on a MySQL database to store all of their content and configuration.
WordPress tables
By default WordPress creates 12 tables: wp_posts (content), wp_users (users), wp_options (settings), wp_comments (comments), wp_terms (categories/tags) and others. Each table has a specific function.
WooCommerce tables
WooCommerce adds extra tables for products, orders, customers and analytics. A large store can have a database of 500MB+ with millions of rows, which requires an optimized MySQL server.
phpMyAdmin
A visual tool for managing a MySQL database, available in cPanel on all BeoHosting plans. It lets you browse, edit, export and import data without writing SQL code.
Database optimization
Use the WP-Optimize plugin to regularly clean up revisions, spam comments and transients. Also optimize tables through phpMyAdmin for better performance and less disk space.
Related pages and guides
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