MySQL is an open-source, fast and reliable relational database management system (RDBMS) based on SQL, typically used with PHP. MYSQL works with programming languages such as JAVA, C++, C, and PERL too.

• MYSQL is easy to use and fast. RDBMS used for web based applications.
• The data in a MySQL database are stored in columns and rows of tables.
• MySQL runs on a server.
• MySQL is ideal for both small and large applications.
• It is free to download and use under GPL (General Public License).
• MySQL compiles on a number of platforms.

MySQL follows the working of client-server architecture. There is a database server (MySQL) and arbitrarily many client programs can communicate with the server.

LAMP/WAMP/MAMP Server

To develop PHP web applications, we need to setup Apache + MySQL + PHP under our operating system, in LAMP (Linux - Apache - MySQL - PHP), WAMP (Windows - Apache - MySQL - PHP), or MAMP (macOS - Apache - MySQL - PHP) environment.
There are two ways of setting up LAMP/WAMP/MAMP:
Install individual software components. Install Apache, MySQL and PHP one by one.
Install a bundle package, which includes all software components.