MySQL is an open source Relational Database Management System based on the Structured Query Language (SQL). It is very fast reliable and flexible Database Management System based on relation model that is developed to manage large volumes of data at very high speed with security. MySQL can be used for
verity of applications but it is one of the most popular RDBMS used for the web applications on the Internet.

It is referred as open source because it can be run on different platform such as Unix, Linux, Windows, OS/2, and etc. It is possible for anyone to use and modify the software. If you wish, you may study the source code and change it to suit your needs.

MySQL is based on a client/server model; its database package includes MySQL server and MySQL client program. It supports all functionalities of a DBMS, such as standard data types; multi-line commands and ensures that transactions are complete within the ACID rules.

MySQL Features

• MySQL are very fast and much reliable
  for any type of application.
• It is very Lightweight Database
  application.
• Its command line tool is very powerful
  and can be used to run SQL queries
  against database.
• It Supports indexing and binary objects.
• It allows DBA to change the structure of
  table while server is running.
• It is a very fast multithreaded-based
  memory allocation system.
• MySQL is available as a separate
  program for use in a client/server
  network environment.
• The MySQL available for the most of all
  operating system platforms.
• Programming libraries for C, Python,
  PHP, Java, Delphi etc. are available to
  connect to MySQL database.

MySQL 5 Features:

In traditional version of MySQL, there are some drawbacks that, it doesn’t support Procedures and Functions as well as Triggers. Now these features are included in the new version of MySQL that is MySQL 5.0. Its features are:

1. Views

Views is a virtual table, which acts as a table, but it contains no data. Views are created using columns from one or more tables.

2. Stored Procedures and Functions

MySQL 5.0 now support Stored Procedures and Functions. This allows you to embed business logic at database level.

3. Triggers

The Triggers is another very imported feature available with MySQL 5.0. Now we can add some business logic whenever data is inserted, Deleted or updated in the table. High Level Conceptual Architecture of MySQL
At the highest level of abstraction MySQL consists of five major sub-systems.