MySQL

MySQL is a widely used open-source relational database management system (RDBMS) based on SQL. Originally developed by MySQL AB, it is now owned by Oracle, MEMORY (in-table), and NDB Cluster (distributed).

Key Features

  • ACID-compliant transaction support via InnoDB
  • Replication through MySQL Replication (master-slave, group replication)
  • Full-text search capabilities
  • Stored procedures, triggers, and views
  • JSON data type support since MySQL 5.7
  • Partitioning for large tables

Licensing

MySQL uses a dual-license model:

  • GPL v2 (Open Source): The Community Edition is free under the GNU General Public License. Anyone can download and use it without cost.
  • Commercial License: Oracle also offers commercial licenses for users who cannot comply with the GPL (e.g., proprietary software that links to MySQL libraries).

See MySQL Licensing for details.

Official Resources