What Is MySQL?

MySQL is a database. It stores your information, your users’ information, and anything
else you want to stuff into it. There’s actually a lot more nuance to MySQL—and
SQL, the language in which you’ll interact with MySQL (but better to save that for
Chapter 3—when you’ve got a little PHP and context under your belt).
For now, think of MySQL as a warehouse where you can store things to be looked
up later. Not only that, MySQL provides you a really fast little imp that runs around
finding all that stuff you stuck in the warehouse whenever it’s needed. By the time
you’re through this this book, you’ll love that imp…er…MySQL. It’ll do work that you
could never do on your own, and it’ll do that work tirelessly and quickly.