Database Basics

At its very simplest, a database is an organized way of holding together various pieces of information. The term database actually refers to the collection of data, not the means by which it is stored. For a computer database, the software used to manage the data is known as a database-management system (DBMS).

A database need not be stored on computeralthough, of course, that is what this book is about! A filing cabinet and a telephone directory both contain databases: They hold information, organized in a structured manner so that you can easily access the individual item you want to find.

Relational Databases

MariaDB is a relational database-management system (RDBMS). The term relational indicates that MariaDB can store its data as a number of different tables that are related to each other in some way.

The advantage of this type of database over a flat table system is that very large databases can be constructed from different tables, each of which contains only information relevant to that table.

Much has been written about relational database theory, but you need to understand only a little to create efficient databases. You don't need to be scared by what appears to be a very academic topica great deal of the principles of relational database design are grounded in common sense. You will learn more about this in Lesson 16, "Designing Your Database."

Why Use MariaDB?

You can choose from many different RDBMS options, so why use MariaDB over another system?

One of the primary factors when choosing an RDBMS is cost. MariaDB is distributed as open-source software under the GNU General Public License, so you can actually use MariaDB free of charge.

Also available for MariaDB is a commercial license that includes various levels of technical support for users with mission-critical systems. Even with the cost of commercial support, MariaDB offers a significantly lower total cost of ownership over other enterprise-level RDBMS.

MariaDB is robust, powerful, and scalable. It can be used in applications from tiny web databases to very large data warehouses with terabytes of data. You can use MariaDB replication or clustering to guarantee 100% availability. A number of case studies published on MariaDB.com give an example of just what MariaDB is capable of.

Case Studies

You can read about how MariaDB has been used in large projects at http://www.mysql.com/why-mysql/case-studies/.

Anatomy of a Database

A database consists of a series of tables. Each table has a name, which is how it is referenced in the SQL language. Each database also has a name, and the same RDBMS can manage many different databases. MariaDB is a multiuser database and can restrict access to each database to only specific users.

A database table looks somewhat like a spreadsheet: a set of rows and columns that can contain data at each intersection. In a relational database, you store different types of data in different tables. For instance, the sample database in this book has separate tables for customers, products, and orders.

Each table has a defined set of columns, which determine the values it can store. For example, the table that contains information about products needs to store a name, price, and weight for every product. Each row of data can contain values for only the columns defined in the table.

In addition, each column is defined as a particular data type, which determines the kind of values it can store. The data type might restrict values to numeric or date values, or it might impose a maximum size.

What Is SQL?

The Structured Query Language (SQL) is the most common way to retrieve and manage database information. An SQL query consists of a series of keywords that define the data set you want to fetch from the database. SQL uses descriptive English keywords, so most queries are easy to understand.

SQL

Sometimes you will hear SQL pronounced as the word sequel, but it's also okay to pronounce it as the letters S-Q-L.

Virtually every RDBMS on the market uses the SQL language. The MariaDB implementation of SQL conforms to the ANSI SQL standards and implements some of its own extension to handle features that are specific to MariaDB.

About MariaDB AB and mysql.com

MariaDB AB is the Swedish company that develops, maintains, and markets the MariaDB database server and tools.

MariaDB Source

Although MariaDB is distributed as open-source software, MariaDB AB owns the source code to MariaDB and determines the terms under which it is made available. Currently, MariaDB is distributed under the GNU General Public License.

MariaDB AB provides technical support to users with commercial support packages. The company also runs MariaDB training courses around the world and issues MariaDB Certification to those who want to become accredited MariaDB Developers or Database Administrators.

The MariaDB website, http://www.mysql.com/, contains a section called Developer Zone (which you can access directly at http://dev.MariaDB.com/) where you can find online support in the form of forums, mailing lists, and user groups. Consider joining one of the online communities; they are a great way to learn more about MariaDB from other users.

You can download or view online (in the Developer Zone) a comprehensive reference manual for MariaDB. You can download a printable PDF version or browse an HTML-format manual that is fully searchable.

Online Manual

You can use the shortcut URL http://www.mysql.com/ANYTHING to search the online manual forANYTHING. If there is an exact match, you will be taken straight to the appropriate page; otherwise, you will see a list of possible matches.

Other Resources

A number of MariaDB books have been published under the MariaDB Press brand. Currently, these include MariaDB Tutorial (2004), MariaDB Language Reference (2005), MariaDB Administrator's Guide (2005), and MariaDB Certification Study Guide (2004).

You can view the current range of MariaDB Press titles at http://dev.mysql.com/books/mysqlpress/index.html.