Murach's MySQL

If you want to learn MySQL this is here is the book for you. This 600+ page book lives up to the tradition of Murach Books which specializes in publishing books that teach database and software development. Murach's MySQL is a current book - it supports all recent MySQL versions from 5.5.

First, Joel Murach provides an overview of databases and SQL. This would be useful for the database beginner. Then he introduces the use of tools which is a practical way to start using the database. Instructions are provided to download no cost software versions to enable hands on experience. MySQL Community Edition, a free version of MySQL, and MySQL Workbench, a free development environment are used as platforms for training.

Next the book teaches essential SQL skills. There are a number of skill levels for querying data, starting with querying a single table, the multiple tables followed by summary queries and subqueries. Next, the book shows how to maintain MySQL databases using the insert, update and delete statements. Use of data types and functions rounds out the basic SQL skills.

What if you need to perform DBA functions such as create a new database? The next section shows how to design a database. The emphasis is more on physical data modeling than conceptual and logical data modeling. Here you learn about creating and managing tables, indexes, auto incrementing keys and views. The final chapter of this sections shows how to manage security.

What if you need to develop software using MySQL? The book explains how to use MySQL stored procedures, functions and triggers. This section will help you to gain database software development skills such as managing transactions and locking.

Do you need to understand how to administer databases? The final section of this book helps you to tackle database administration - assisting with DBA skills.