MySQL Explained is a step-by-step tutorial for everyone who's ready to learn about the database software most commonly used for storing information behind some of today's most popular websites and online applications. Written especially for people outside the technology field, MySQL Explained provides the background information you need to get familiar with database theory and the principles behind organizing data. This book starts from the ground up, helping the reader to understand the very definition of a database, the forms it can take and the different options for storing information. By the end of this book, you'll understand the reasons for choosing MySQL, the options for installing it and the tools that it offers to store and safeguard your data. If you are in any way involved in designing or managing a website or data solution of any kind, you owe it to yourself to understand the tools involved. Quality database management systems are essential in today's data-driven world and such essential tools should not be a mystery to those who depend on them. MySQL Explained can help you unravel the mystery and learn more about a technology that will be around for a long time to come.