A database is a structured collection of data that is organized in a way to facilitate its efficient storage, retrieval, modification, and management.

Databases are used by all sorts of applications to store various types of information, such as customer information, product inventory, student grades, course contents, etc.

A database management system (DBMS) is a software that allows end-users to interact with the database, facilitates the data entry, retrieval, modification, and deletion, and ensures the data integrity and security.

Altogether, the database, the database management system, and the associated applications are referred to as a database system.

The MySQL RDBMS

MySQL is an open-source relational database management system (RDBMS) that relies on the relational model.

It is known for its speed, reliability, and ease of use, making it a popular choice for many applications, from small websites to large-scale enterprise systems.

It is designed to handle large volumes of data, multiple users through access control mechanisms, and concurrent access to data using transactions and locking.

It is composed of several key components including:

• A server in charge of handling all database operations, such as data storage, retrieval, and modification, as well as user access and security.

• A client in charge of interacting with the server using commands written in the Structured Query Language (SQL).

• A storage engine in charge of handling how data is stored and managed on disk.