Chapter 4. Creating a MySQL Database

In Chapter 3, "Database Design," I went through the steps involved in coming up with your database scheme, a process called normalization. Those concepts apply to any relational database, whether you're using MySQL or not. In this chapter I cover how to implement a database specifically using MySQL.

This process begins by learning about the various data types that are available and how each of those can be further customized. Then you'll be introduced to indexes, which improve the performance of your database. After that it's time to finalize each table's design, by using proper names and choosing a table type. Finally, you'll get back to working with MySQL's tools by creating, and possibly modifying, your database and tables.