Customer Reviews

The Definitive Guide to MySQL, Second Edition

5 star:		(2)
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3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
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Fully updated to include information on MySQL 4.0 and 4.1 "The Definitive Guide to MySQL, Second Edition" is one of the most through and yet easily understandable texts on MySQL available. The author assumes no previous knowledge of SQL or even database theory and design so you really start at the beginning. In fact chapter five, database design, is one of the more lucid explanations of relational databases and design theory that I have read anywhere.

Another item that differentiates this book from others of the same genre is the inclusion of a chapter of SQL recipes. This chapter is basically a cookbook that takes the most common tasks you may need to accomplish with your MySQL database and provides a recipe to accomplish that task.

It includes coverage of InnoDB tables (very important in a multi-user environment) and many other items besides the usual installation, administration, and configuration items you would expect. Of course, if you are writing a MySQL application you will have to use some sort of programming language to write your program. In keeping with the OpenSource theme of the book it includes extensive coverage of PHP, Perl, Java, C, C++, Visual Basic, C#, and ODBC. The book does not pretend to teach any of these programming languages but provides the information to use them with MySQL if you know that particular language. As a regular user of PHP, Perl, Visual Basic, and ODBC connections I found the coverage to be excellent, including everything you need to know to connect to the database and do whatever you need.

The book ends with an excellent reference section, a section on MySQL Tools, and even a section an API reference. In short it is one of the most exhaustive books on the subject and provides everything for a new user as well as complete reference coverage for an experienced user, programmer, or administrator. "The Definitive Guide to MySQL, Second Edition" is highly recommended for anyone interested in learning, administering, or programming MySQL.

The Definitive Guide to MySQL is a thorough, yet easy to understand resource for enhancing your database skills and knowledge. This book isn't just another version of the MySQL documentation. It teaches the reader a great deal about relational database design and all of the options to consider beforehand, such as choosing a table type, when and where to use indexes, etc. The book also provides a solid understanding of administering a MySQL installation, exploring such topics as performance tuning, backups, replication, and upgrades.

For those on the programming side, you will find information on creating applications using a wide variety of languages, including PHP, Perl, Java, C++, and Visual Basic, although PHP is the most extensively covered.

Overall, I'd say Michael Kofler did an excellent job on this book. All of the examples and explanations are clear and concise. If you are simply looking for a quick MySQL function reference, stick with the documentation. However, if you want to really learn how to get the most out of MySQL, this book is a must.

Purchasing the second edition of this book was entirely my error. I should have researched the contents before I ordered the book. However, since I ordered the book to research stored procedures and triggers, the book was of no use to me. As soon as I realized my mistake I ordered the third edition. The second edition covers MySQL features through version 4.1 only. If you don't care about stored procedures, triggers and version 5 features, the second edition should do the job for you. Otherwise, order the third edition.

Because of the very high reviews of this book, I purchased it in the hopes of getting a quick introduction to and solid reference for MySQL. I wanted a handy book on my shelf primarily on MySQL, so "The Definitive Guide to MySQL" seemed like an appropriate source.
Unfortunately, the book expects the installation of several non-essential packages beyond the MySQL client and server. These include Apache, PHP, phpMyAdmin, and Perl (Chapter 2). Then, the introductory example (Chapter 3) is mostly about programming and testing an application in PHP with a MySQL database as a backend. At this point, I realized that the organization of the book did not meet my needs and purchased "MySQL (Third Edition)" by Paul DuBois, the organization of which demonstrates that it really concentrates on MySQL and which is actually the definitive guide I was originally looking for.
I am a professor of computer science at a research university and require resouces that immediately focus on the technical details of the package and get me up to speed quickly and in a logical progression. While Kofler's book is probably fine for some potential readers, I cannot recommend it due to its inadequate focus on MySQL.