MySQL for beginners

What is MySQL?

MySQL is a relational database management system (RDBMS) that lets you store, organize, and retrieve data using SQL (Structured Query Language). It’s one of the most popular databases in the world — trusted by companies like Facebook, YouTube, and GitHub.

Why Learn MySQL?

• Structured storage with tables, columns, and rows
• Powerful queries using SELECT, JOIN, WHERE, and more
• Secure data handling with user privileges and roles
• Fast performance, scalability, and reliability
• Ideal for real-world applications: from user accounts to e-commerce

Whether you're building a simple web app or a complex system, MySQL gives you full control over your data. It's the perfect first step for any developer.

Here an example of MySQL command:

CREATE TABLE products (
    id INT AUTO_INCREMENT PRIMARY KEY,
    name VARCHAR(100),
    price DECIMAL(10, 2),
    created_at TIMESTAMP DEFAULT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP
);

-- Insert a product
INSERT INTO products (name, price) VALUES ('Laptop', 1499.99);

-- Get all products
SELECT * FROM products;`

What should I learn?

💬 If you're just starting with MySQL, here are the fundamentals you should focus on first:

📊 What is a Database & Table
Learn how data is stored in rows and columns using tables.

🔑 Primary Keys & Data Types
Understand how to uniquely identify each record (INT, VARCHAR, DATE, etc.).

🛠️ Basic SQL Commands
Start with CREATE, INSERT, SELECT, UPDATE, DELETE.

📋 Filtering Data with WHERE
Learn how to get exactly what you want from a table.

🔗 Table Relationships (JOINs)
Practice INNER JOIN, LEFT JOIN, etc., to combine data across tables.

🧩 Indexes & Foreign Keys
Improve performance and enforce relationships between tables.

📦 Normalization
Avoid duplicated data and organize tables correctly (1NF, 2NF, 3NF).

🔐 User Permissions & Security
Learn how to protect your database from unauthorized access.

🗃️ Backup & Restore
Always know how to export and import your data safely.