MySQL
MySQL is the most widely used open-source database in the world, storing the data behind WordPress, online shops, and web apps.
MySQL is an open-source relational database, developed since 1995 and now owned by Oracle. If your website runs on WordPress, you've been using MySQL for a long time without realizing it: It's the standard database for half the web.
It's used wherever structured data is generated: customer data in e-commerce stores, content in CMS, your web app's data. Its strength is its widespread adoption. Every host offers it, every framework supports it, every developer knows it.
PostgreSQL is technically considered more modern and is the foundation of Supabase; for ordinary projects, the difference in daily use is negligible. The weakness: Oracle as owner deters some teams, and more exciting development tends to happen in the Postgres camp.
Relevant for you as soon as software is built for you: You rarely choose MySQL yourself, but your developer or agency does. A solid, boring standard, and that's meant as a compliment.
Functions
- Free Community Edition, in use since 1995
- Standard database powering WordPress, WooCommerce, and many CMS
- Supported by virtually every host
- Continued development by Oracle with commercial support options
- Efficient operation even on small servers
Core Functions
- Relational database with SQL standard
- Storage of structured data for websites, shops, and applications
- Replication and clustering for high availability
- Operated on your own server or managed on AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud
- Large ecosystem of admin tools like phpMyAdmin and MySQL Workbench
Alternatives to
MySQL
IONOS
IONOS ist Europas größter Hosting-Anbieter für Domains, Webseiten und Cloud, inzwischen mit eigenem KI-Ökosystem Momentum.
Next.js
Next.js is the most used React framework for fast, SEO-friendly websites and web apps, developed by Vercel.
React Native
React Native is Meta's framework for mobile apps: a single codebase for iOS and Android instead of two separate developments.
Vue
Vue.js is a JavaScript framework for web interfaces: easier to learn than React and popular with agencies and corporations.