A relational database is a database-oriented computer software system, which stores and manages a large amount of data, and there are certain relationships among these data. The design goal of relational database is to achieve data integrity, consistency and reliability, so as to ensure the correctness and availability of data. Relational databases are typically managed using a relational database management system (RDBMS), which provides a set of tools and technologies to support the storage, retrieval, and management of data. In a relational database, data is organized and stored in the form of tables, which contain columns and rows of data, and each row corresponds to a column.
MySQL
MySQL is a popular relational database management system, developed by the Swedish company MySQL AB, and launched its first commercial version in 1995. It is free and open source software widely used by organizations of all sizes, including businesses, government agencies, and nonprofits.
The design goal of MySQL is to provide high-performance, scalable and easy-to-use database solutions. It performs very well and can efficiently perform complex queries and operations on large datasets. Additionally, MySQL supports a large number of data types, complex indexes, and rich data analysis tools, making it one of the most widely used databases.
The history of MySQL can be traced back to 1995, when MySQL AB launched the first open source version of MySQL. MySQL has been kept highly updated and improved, with new versions and features constantly being introduced. Now, MySQL has become one of the most popular relational database management systems in the world, with millions of users and hundreds of millions of data.
In short, MySQL is a high-performance, powerful, open source and free database management system, which is widely used in various fields, including finance, e-commerce, enterprise information management, games and entertainment, education and research, etc.
SQL Server
SQL Server is a relational database management system that can store, retrieve and manage structured data. SQL Server provides powerful database server functions, including database security, concurrency control, database management, backup and recovery, etc. SQL Server runs on operating systems such as Windows, Linux, and macOS, and can be deployed and managed in a variety of ways.
Differences between SQL Server and MySQL
SQL Server and MySQL differ in several ways, including but not limited to the following:
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Supported data types: MySQL supports a variety of data types, including strings, numbers, datetimes, Boolean values, lists, sets, graphics, and XML. SQL Server mainly supports data types in Structured Query Language (SQL), such as INTEGER, VARCHAR, TEXT, DATETIME, DECIMAL, and FLOAT.
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Open source and development language: MySQL is an open source relational database management system, while SQL Server is a commercial database management system that needs to be licensed to use. In addition, MySQL has a wide range of development languages, and almost all other development languages can be used, while SQL Server is most suitable for using .net as a development language.
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Platform support: SQL Server only supports Linux and Windows platforms, while MySQL can run on multiple platforms, including Linux, Mac OS X, Unix, IBM AIX, and Microsoft Windows.
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Default value and storage engine: The default value of SQL Server's default export table creation statement is expressed as (()), while in MySQL, the default value is not allowed to have two brackets. In addition, MySQL supports multiple storage engines, allowing developers more flexibility in using engines for tables based on performance.
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Backup and security: MySQL supports data backup and recovery, and data can be extracted as SQL statements for backup. However, SQL Server does not support data backup and needs to be manually backed up. In addition, MySQL supports multiple security mechanisms, such as user authentication, role-based access control, SQL injection attack defense, etc., while the security mechanism of SQL Server is relatively simple.
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Development period and grammar: The grammar of MySQL is relatively complicated and may require a certain learning cost. The syntax of SQL Server is relatively simple, easy to understand and learn.
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Performance and Scalability: On large data sets, the performance of MySQL may be limited, while SQL Server has better performance and higher scalability.
To sum up, SQL Server and MySQL differ in supported data types, open source, development language, platform support, default values, storage engine, backup and security, development period and syntax, performance and scalability, etc. Developers need to choose the appropriate database management system according to the actual situation.
How to choose between SQL Server and MySQL?
SQL Server is primarily used in large enterprises and government agencies. It provides features such as high availability, high performance, high scalability, and high maintainability, and is suitable for mission-critical and large-scale database applications. SQL Server provides various versions and server products, including Standard, Enterprise, and DataGuard, etc. Users can choose the most suitable version according to their needs.
MySQL is primarily used by individuals and small businesses. It has the characteristics of ease of use, scalability and maintainability, and is suitable for small database applications and environments with simple deployment. MySQL supports multiple data types and languages, including SQL, JSON, XML, and CSV, and users can choose the most suitable data type and language according to their needs.
If you need features such as high availability, high performance, high scalability, and high maintainability, and you have enough budget to purchase and maintain SQL Server, then SQL Server may be a better choice. If you need simple deployment and management, a small database application and a low budget, and you have the time and energy to learn MySQL, then MySQL may be a better choice.