step, offering examples and illustrations to help explain and guide you through the toughest

aspects of MySQL.

If you have used a RDBMS, such as Microsoft SQL Server, Sybase, or Oracle, this book is also for

you. It will give you a chance to see one of the lesser-known systems that can hold its own against

the big boys.

If you have used MySQL in the past or are currently using MySQL, this book is for you too. Inside,

you will find shortcuts and explanations that you might not find anywhere else. A lot of the

questions that you might have asked yourself are answered in this book.

Sams Teach Yourself MySQL in 21 Days assumes that you have no prior experience in database

management systems. So take things a little slowly, make sure you understand each lesson

completely before you move on. Each chapter builds on previously covered material. You will be

able to take what you have learned in one chapter and apply it later.

How This Book Is Structured

This book is intended to be read and absorbed over the course of three weeks. During each week,

you read seven chapters and perform the exercises at the end of each chapter.

Conventions Used in this Book

Note A Note presents interesting, sometimes technical, pieces of information related to

the surrounding discussion.

Tip A Tip offers advice or an easier way to do something.

Caution A Caution advises you of potential problems and helps you steer clear of

disaster.

New terms appear in italic in paragraphs where they are defined.

At the end of each chapter, you'll find handy Summary and Q&A sections.

In addition, you'll find various typographic conventions throughout this book:

ƒ Commands, variables, directories, and files appear in text in a special monospaced

font.

ƒ Commands and such that you type appear in monospaced bold type.

ƒ Placeholders in syntax descriptions appear in a monospaced italic typeface. This

indicates that you will replace the placeholder with the actual filename, parameter, or

other element that it represents.

Week 1: At a Glance

Day List

Day 1: What is MySQL?

Day 2: Getting Started

Day 3: Designing Your First Database

Day 4: Creating Your First Database

Day 5: Making Your Data Normal

Day 6: Adding Tables, Columns, and Indexes to Your Database

Day 7: MySQL Data Types

As you prepare for your first week of learning how to use MySQL, you will need a few things: a computer, a
Web server and this book. If you don't have the first two things, you can still use this book. However, you'll
still need to practice these lessons somewhere. You cannot expect to learn something without trying it
firsthand. This book will take you step by step through each aspect of MySQL. This book is set up so that
each day ends with an exercise. Take advantage of these exercises; they can further help you on your
journey to becoming a full-fledged MySQL Database Administrator.

Where You're Going

This week covers the basics of MySQL. On Day 1, you'll learn what MySQL is and some of its uses. Day 2 is
where you'll learn how to install MySQL for the Windows and Linux platforms. On Day 3 and Day 4, you'll
learn about designing a database, and then you'll actually create one. Day 5 covers normalization. Day 6 is
where you'll learn how to add columns and indexes to your database. The week ends with day 7's MySQL
data types. On this day, you'll learn about the various data types and how they apply to MySQL.