Author Paul Dubois describes everything from the basics of getting information into a database and formulating queries, to using MySQL with PHP or Perl to generate dynamic web pages, to writing your own programs that access MySQL databases, to administering MySQL servers. The book also includes a comprehensive reference section providing detailed information on MySQL's structure, language, syntax, and APIs.

The fifth edition of this bestselling book has been meticulously revised and updated to thoroughly cover the latest features and capabilities of MySQL 5.5, as well as to add new coverage of features introduced with MySQL 5.6.

MySQL is an open source relational database management system (DBMS) that has experienced a phenomenal growth in popularity and use. Known for its speed and ease of use, MySQL has proven itself to be particularly well-suited for developing database-backed websites and applications. MySQL runs on anything from modest hardware all the way up to enterprise servers, and its performance rivals any database system put up against it.