Before we start working with SQL, we need to install the tools we’ll use.
What is MySQL?
MySQL is a popular relational database that stores data in tables and uses SQL to manage it. It’s free, reliable, and used by many companies. Other popular SQL databases include PostgreSQL, SQLite, and Microsoft SQL Server, but MySQL is great for learning and widely used in web development.
What is MySQL Workbench?
MySQL doesn’t have a built-in interface for viewing and managing data. MySQL Workbench is a visual database tool that gives us a way to:
- Run SQL commands
- See our tables and data
- Browse and edit data
- Create and modify database structures
If you’ve used WordPress, you might have used phpMyAdmin – MySQL Workbench serves a similar purpose but with additional features.
We can install MySQL and MySQL Workbench separately, though we can install them together with the Windows installation.