M
MySQL
The world''s most popular open-source database — 40% of Stack Overflow usage, default for WordPress, LAMP stack.
Visit website
👁 10276 views
About MySQL
MySQL is the world''s most widely deployed open-source relational database — used by 40% of professional developers (Stack Overflow 2024) and the default database for WordPress (43% of all websites), Drupal, Joomla, and the LAMP stack.
MySQL vs PostgreSQL: MySQL has 40.3% adoption vs PostgreSQL''s 48.7% (Stack Overflow 2024). MySQL is faster for simple writes, PostgreSQL is stronger for complex queries and has a better extension ecosystem (pgvector, PostGIS, TimescaleDB). PostgreSQL has overtaken MySQL in overall developer popularity.
MySQL remains the choice when: working with WordPress or PHP applications, needing maximum write throughput for simple operations, or using RDS MySQL which is typically 10-20% cheaper than RDS PostgreSQL.
Performance profile: MySQL InnoDB is optimized for high-concurrency simple reads and writes. At 100,000 simple INSERT operations per second, MySQL outperforms PostgreSQL by 15-25%. For complex queries with joins, PostgreSQL''s planner is generally stronger.
Managed MySQL: Amazon RDS MySQL, Google Cloud SQL, and PlanetScale (MySQL-compatible serverless with Git-like schema branching) are the primary managed options.
Key Features
-
●
InnoDB engine: ACID-compliant, row-level locking, MVCC for concurrent access
-
●
Replication: primary-replica streaming replication for read scaling and disaster recovery
-
●
JSON support: native JSON column type with JSON functions for document storage
-
●
Full-text search: FULLTEXT indexes for basic search without Elasticsearch
-
●
MySQL Shell: modern CLI with JavaScript, Python, and SQL modes for administration
Pros
- ✓40.3% developer adoption — second most popular database with the largest PHP/WordPress ecosystem
- ✓Default database for WordPress, which powers 43% of all websites
- ✓Faster simple write throughput than PostgreSQL for high-volume INSERT workloads
- ✓Amazon RDS MySQL is typically 10-20% cheaper than RDS PostgreSQL for equivalent instances
- ✓30+ years of production use with extensive operational knowledge in the industry
Cons
- ✗PostgreSQL has higher developer satisfaction and more extensions (pgvector, PostGIS, TimescaleDB)
- ✗MySQL''s JSON support is less capable than PostgreSQL JSONB for document workloads
- ✗Limited extension ecosystem compared to PostgreSQL''s 100+ production-quality extensions
Who is using MySQL?
-
●
WordPress and PHP developers where MySQL is the default and best-supported option
-
●
Teams who migrated to MySQL years ago and the cost of migration exceeds the benefit
-
●
Applications with very high write throughput where MySQL InnoDB''s write performance excels
-
●
Teams using PlanetScale for serverless MySQL with Git-like schema branching
Use Cases
- →Running a WordPress site with MySQL as the default and best-supported database
- →Building a high-write application where MySQL InnoDB''s write performance is the deciding factor
- →Using PlanetScale for serverless MySQL with schema branching for safe migrations
- →Managing a legacy PHP application where MySQL is deeply integrated
Pricing
-
●
Community Edition : $0/mo — Full database, GPL license, Community support, All features
-
●
Enterprise : $5,000/year — Enterprise Monitor, Thread Pool, Priority support, Commercial license
Pricing details may not be up to date. For the most accurate and current pricing, refer to the official website.
What Makes MySQL Unique?
The database that powers WordPress (43% of the web) and the LAMP stack, with 30+ years of production use and the fastest simple write throughput of any open-source relational database.
How We Rated It
Adoption data from Stack Overflow Developer Survey 2024. Write throughput comparison from sysbench benchmark on identical hardware.
-
Accuracy and Reliability 4.4/5
-
Ease of Use 4.5/5
-
Functionality and Features 4.3/5
-
Performance and Speed 4.5/5
-
Customer Support 4.3/5
-
Value for Money 4.8/5
AI summary
The world''s most popular open-source database — 40% of Stack Overflow usage, default for WordPress, LAMP stack.