SQL vs MySQL
Language or Database System? Understanding the Difference
SQL vs MySQL is a comparison between a language and a product. SQL is the language used to query and manage relational databases. MySQL is a database management system that understands and runs SQL. In short, SQL is the language and MySQL is one program that speaks it.
The confusion is understandable, because the two names appear together constantly. A hosting control panel may offer "MySQL databases", and tutorials show SQL statements that run against them. The statements are written in SQL, and the server that executes them is MySQL.
A useful comparison is a language and one book written in it. English is the language, and a particular novel is one product that uses it. In the same way, SQL is the language and MySQL is one product that uses it. Other products, such as PostgreSQL and Microsoft SQL Server, use the same language with their own additions.
How MySQL Uses SQL
MySQL is a relational database management system, or RDBMS. It stores data in tables and accepts SQL commands from applications and administrators. It supports the core commands such as SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE and DELETE, along with its own extensions and features that go beyond the standard.
Because of those extensions, a query written for MySQL may not run unchanged on another database. Simple queries usually move without trouble. More advanced ones, including some date functions and text handling, often need adjustment.
Other systems also use SQL. PostgreSQL, MariaDB, Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle Database and SQLite all understand it to different degrees, so SQL knowledge carries over between them, not only to MySQL.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to learn SQL or MySQL first?
Learn SQL first. The core commands are largely the same across relational databases, so the skills carry over. Once you know SQL, MySQL's own features, such as its functions and storage options, can be learned as needed. Most beginners find the core commands easier to learn first, because they apply to many systems at once.
Is MySQL a DBMS?
Yes. MySQL is a database management system, the software that creates, stores and manages databases. Applications connect to it as a server, and one server can hold many databases. The general category is explained in what a DBMS is.