MySQL 5 is slated to be the most significant release in the products history. The Definitive Guide to MySQL 5, Third Edition, is the newest revision of Michael Koflers popular book. This is the first book to offer in-depth instruction about the new features of the worlds most popular open source database server. Updated to reflect changes in MySQL version 5, this book will expose you to MySQLs impressive array of new features: views, stored procedures, triggers, and spatial data types.

Whether youre a novice or intermediate user, you will benefit from extensive coverage of core MySQL features like user administration, basic and advanced querying, and security. You will also be introduced to several standard and third-party tools, like MySQL Administrator, Query Browser, and the popular PHPMyAdmin tool.

MySQL 5 is slated to be the most significant release in the product’s history. The Definitive Guide to MySQL 5, Third Edition, is the newest revision of Michael Kofler’s popular book. This is the first book to offer in-depth instruction about the new features of the world’s most popular open source database server. Updated to reflect changes in MySQL version 5, this book will expose you to MySQL’s impressive array of new features: views, stored procedures, triggers, and spatial data types.

Whether you’re a novice or intermediate user, you will benefit from extensive coverage of core MySQL features like user administration, basic and advanced querying, and security. You will also be introduced to several standard and third-party tools, like MySQL Administrator, Query Browser, and the popular PHPMyAdmin tool.

MySQL 5 is slated to be the most significant release in the product’s history. The Definitive Guide to MySQL 5, Third Edition, is the newest revision of Michael Kofler’s popular book. This is the first book to offer in-depth instruction about the new features of the world’s most popular open source database server. Updated to reflect changes in MySQL version 5, this book will expose you to MySQL’s impressive array of new features: views, stored procedures, triggers, and spatial data types.

Whether you’re a novice or intermediate user, you will benefit from extensive coverage of core MySQL features like user administration, basic and advanced querying, and security. You will also be introduced to several standard and third-party tools, like MySQL Administrator, Query Browser, and the popular PHPMyAdmin tool.

Unmistakably, the advent of Open Source technologies has made a considerable impact upon the IT sector in recent years. Perhaps the repercussions of this impact resonate no more loudly than in the database sector, where Open Source databasing products offer users a comparable alternative to the costly commercial solutions available on the market today. One such Open Source database enjoying enormous popularity is MySQL. Offering very fast and reliable data management, MySQL has come to be depended on by a number of the World’s largest and most respected organizations for handling mission critical information.In a successful effort to tackling those issues most important to the reader, Kofler not only concentrates on the MySQL database server itself, but also demonstrates how it can be used in conjunction with various other technologies in order to Web-enable the reader’s database information.

Kofler’s MySQL introduces the many facets of MySQL, guiding the reader through installation, configuration, and subsequent implementation of the popular database server. Intermingling MySQL instruction with valuable general database design philosophy, MySQL proves to be an irreplaceable resource for MySQL novices and experts alike.
Technologer is a special interest media website focused on the technology book market. The website distinguishes itself through its comprehensive evaluations, trusted buying advice, recognized industry experts, thought provoking news, reviews and analyses.

The Definitive Guide to MySQL 5, Third Edition is the latest revision to Michael Kofler’s popular comprehensive book on the world’s most popular open source database server. Updated to reflect the changes in MySQL version 5, the most significant update in the product’s history, readers are exposed to MySQL’s impressive array of new features including views, stored procedures, triggers, spatial data types, and more. Novice and intermediate users alike will benefit from extensive coverage of core MySQL features such as user administration, basic and advanced querying, and security.

Readers are also introduced to several standard and third-party tools such as the MySQL Administrator, Query Browser, and popular PHPMyAdmin tool. Acknowledging MySQLs huge popularity when used in conjunction with APIs, Michael devotes substantial coverage talking to MySQL via languages like PHP, Perl, Java, C, and C#.

MySQL 5 is slated to be the most significant release in the product’s history. The Definitive Guide to MySQL 5, Third Edition, is the newest revision of Michael Kofler’s popular book. This is the first book to offer in-depth instruction about the new features of the world’s most popular open source database server. Updated to reflect changes in MySQL version 5, this book will expose you to MySQL’s impressive array of new features: views, stored procedures, triggers, and spatial data types.

Whether you’re a novice or intermediate user, you will benefit from extensive coverage of core MySQL features like user administration, basic and advanced querying, and security. You will also be introduced to several standard and third-party tools, like MySQL Administrator, Query Browser, and the popular PHPMyAdmin tool.

MySQL 5 is slated to be the most significant release in the product’s history. The Definitive Guide to MySQL 5, Third Edition, is the newest revision of Michael Kofler’s popular book. This is the first book to offer in-depth instruction about the new features of the world’s most popular open source database server. Updated to reflect changes in MySQL version 5, this book will expose you to MySQL’s impressive array of new features: views, stored procedures, triggers, and spatial data types.

Whether you’re a novice or intermediate user, you will benefit from extensive coverage of core MySQL features like user administration, basic and advanced querying, and security. You will also be introduced to several standard and third-party tools, like MySQL Administrator, Query Browser, and the popular PHPMyAdmin tool.

This is the second edition of Kofler’s acclaimed MySQL book, updated and expanded to cover MySQL 4.0, the most recent production release of the popular Open Source database, which boasts more than four million users worldwide.

Like the first edition, this revision, which has been renamed as The Definitive Guide to MySQL, Second Edition to reflect the breadth and depth of Kofler’s coverage of the topic, provides a thorough introduction to the installation, configuration, implementation, and administration of MySQL. In addition, Kofler also demonstrates how MySQL can be used in conjunction with various other technologies to create database-driven Web sites, and gives practical advice on database design. Kofler also shows what’s coming up next in MySQL 4.1.

The Definitive Guide to MySQL, Second Edition, is an irreplaceable resource for MySQL novices and experts alike.

Not definitive, not accurate, not proof read
The book opens with an introductory database example (Chap 3), an opinion poll. The author spends nearly a page in his attempt to justify why MySQL is more suited to his example than a text file. This justification is not only uneccessary but outright wrong. The sample SQL also contains a glaring error that is likely to confuse the newer MySQL user

"In order to generate a table with the two columns /id/ and /choice/, the following command would suffice: CREATE TABLE votelanguage (id INT, choice TINYINT, ts TIMESTAMP);". If you are new to MySQL, you may be wondering about "ts TIMESTAMP".

At every page I have turned to and begun to read, I have found at least one similarly minor/distracting error: "changes in boldface" followed by lines of code with no boldface, "the following will insert a data record with a value of 4: INSERT into t VALUES (3)", etc, etc, etc...

There are numerous sections of text that are terribly written, almost as though they have been badly translated from another language. Chapter 4, for instance, opens with "The end user should never see MySQL as a program. Instead, a convenient program or several web sites should be used to provide access to the database, assist in the input of new data and execute backups
"For such tasks, you can use the commands mysql, mysqladmin and mysqldump ...". Presumably he mean’t that these commands are not the interface through which the typical user will see MySQL.

I said the book is not definitive - I say this because its focus is incredibly broad. It covers a wide spectrum of MySQL-related topics, primarily dealing with specifics of language interfaces (by sheer volume of pages). It covers nothing in true depth (with several item specific chapters containing the "Tip" that "In this chapter you will learn about /this/ only superficially. However, ... will be described elsewhere in the book ..."

Every time I open this book, I find errors or cryptic paragraphs that I have to deconstruct in order to understand the author’s point. Often times, even when the author is quite clear, I find his points to be in error. For example, returning to the initial opinion poll: the author implies that if your result set were merely the vote option and number of votes for that option, it would be simplest to just store that in a single file. But if you wanted to store individual votes or comments or IP addresses, you would need MySQL!

Infact, due to concurrency issues, MySQL would be far better suited to the simple tally counter.

Great MySQL Reference
’The Definitive Guide to MySQL 5’ by Michael Kofler is in its 3rd Edition for the simple reason that this is a GOOD reference book. Jam packed full of nearly 750 pages worth of excellence, this book isn’t just a reference manual, but a learning TOOL as well. The glowing reviews for this book are not without a legit reason, this is a wonderful guide that belongs on the desk of any and all MySQL developers. Pick up this book to learn and excel... you won’t be disappointed!!

***** HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

This book is ok, but not for beginners
This book is indeed a valuable resource for those who wish to have a deep understanding and interoperations of MySQL. However, by no means believe this book is for a MySQL beginner. I am college educated and frequently self-teach on many topics within the technical field. I bought this book with the hopes of getting a foundational understanding of MySQL and have a database up and running in the first few chapters. The first chapter does carefully explain what a relational database is, its features, and limitations, but then gets lost into the murky realm of administrative tools, user interfaces, and database design. The book finally gets around to giving the reader the first command to creating a database on page 268 (chapter 11). By this point the author gives the impression that getting a database started just a formality rather than the start of something fun and exciting. (Am I crazy for thinking databases are fun?)

In general, I found this book a hard read. It’s very dry and in my opinion, not well laid out. This book is for someone who already has foundational knowledge in MySQL and some programming. The author seems to have a thorough understanding of the topic, but is not good at teaching to underlings such as myself. I’m not going to toss the book, but keep it on my shelf as a reference. In the mean time I need to find another book on MySQL.

The Best MySQL 5 Book Out there!
This is bar-none the best MySQL (all-inclusive) book I’ve ever used. I’ve been using MySQL for about 5-6 years (maybe longer I’ve lost count). In projects from Personal stuff to Commercial and Corporate sites. I feel like I know a lot about MySQL simply by using and Admin’ing it for most of this time. I’ve learned a great deal from "The Definitive Guide to MySQL 5" and am making immediate use of several things that have made significant improvements to the current project I’m working on...and has given me ideas as to how to improve on a few sites I didn’t think I could improve much on.

I would recommend this book for ANYONE interested in MySQL 5. It’s well organized, and provides enough information to use virtually anything related to MySQL 5.

Thanks to Michael Kofler for such a well written and organized book!

The only things I would have preferred just a tad more detail on is the use of Cursors in Stored Procedures. Aside from that this is an EXCELLENT resource I highly recommend.

Great Resource for MySQL
This book is great for anyone getting started with MySQL. The book does an excellent job of helping the reader learn MySQL on both Windows and Linux systems, with most examples being run in tandem across both platforms. The books review of MySQL administration tools and clients is very in depth, and probably the best single-source coverage I have seen on the topic.

The chapter on integrating MySQL with OpenOffice and MS Office is unique to this book, as far as I know and I think several readers will get their money’s worth simply from that. Using MySQL as a productivity tool instead of a programming tool changes the approach for several MySQL users.

The fundamentals section of the book, which includes DB design, security and some of the newer features of MySQL (stored procedures and triggers) is a very nice overview, even for seasoned MySQL users. The administration chapter is probably my favorite, as I am a System Admin. This chapter provides examples and instructions about backups, migrations, performance tuning and replication.


The final section on programming was a nice introduction to programming with/against MySQL, but was brief for nearly all topics, but understandably so. There are dozens of books on PHP and MySQL alone, so a few chapters on PHP, Perl, Java and VB are good introductions, but other material should be sought after for an in-depth project.

All in all the book is very thorough, and makes an excellent addition to Apress’s Open Source line of books.

Great Resource!
This book opened up new database opportunities for me. Without it, I would never have unlocked the real power of MySQL 5.

perfect guide for database programmers
coming from the Visual Basic world (VB6, VB.NET), this book first helped me to use MySQL databases in my VB applications; later I had to make MySQL data available on the web and got used to PHP; again, Kofler’s book provided excellent guideance in the various ways of interaction (mysql/mysqli) between PHP and MySQL

in contrast to some other MySQL titles I had a look at, Kofler does not focus entirely on MySQL itself; he explains MySQL in context with the programming languages it is mostly used with

(the book also covers Perl, Java and C; as I haven’t used this languages yet, I cannot say whether these chapters are as good as those on PHP, VB and .NET)

Not what I expected or needed, unfortunately
I read and reviewed MySQL Press’ MySQL Tutorial by Luke Welling and Laura Thomson two years ago. I thought Tutorial was a great, concise (267 pages including index) MySQL overview. I hoped The Definitive Guide to MySQL 5, 3rd Ed (DG, 748 pages) would extend my understanding of MySQL beyond the coverage in the Tutorial. Unfortunately, I found the Tutorial did a better job addressing important information than the DG. While there is some good information in the DG, I recommend staying with books published by MySQL Press.

The biggest problem with the DG stems from this statement on p xxvii: "No previous knowledge of SQL or database design is assumed." The first seven chapters, however, frequently direct confused newbies to chapters 8-10, where database design and SQL syntax is introduced. An author who recognizes that he is losing readers should take a hard look at the organization of his book.

DG is also far from a "definitive guide." I wanted to learn more about JOIN statements, but only 3 confusing pages (pp 197-9) cover JOINS -- compared to 7 in the much shorter Tutorial. Worse, here is how the author "introduces" the LEFT JOIN and ON statements: "One variant consists in creating a table list with LEFT JOIN and then forming the linking connection with ON." How is anyone (especially newbies) supposed to consider that informative?

I was also interested in learning about MERGE tables, since I use them in an open source project. DG has nothing to say on the subject, although the Tutorial gives at least 2 pages. The DG also makes the unfortunate decision to omit the semicolon from the end of all MySQL commands. Sure, they may not be in the SQL standard, but every single other MySQL book I’ve seen uses them. That is especially important for new MySQL users.

The DG also spent far too much time on areas I felt were best addressed elsewhere. I really don’t care to learn how to install Apache, PHP, and Perl on various platforms. I also didn’t need to read so much about integration with PHP. Other books with MySQL and PHP in the title are the right place to discuss that subject. I admit I skipped reading Part IV, on programming interfaces, along with ch 12 (GIS) and the SQL and API references (ch 21, 23).

On the positive side, I had not read anything on stored procedures or triggers before (ch 13). I also picked up some tricks on security and logging from chs 11 and 14. I learned of some new administration tools in ch 5. I still wish the author had spent more time addressing SQL syntax and explaining what it meant, and less on peripheral issues. Performance and tuning are two subjects outside of core SQL syntax that should be in the book but are not discussed thoroughly. I should note that I thought the translator for DG did a great job. I didn’t notice any real rough spots that may have been the result of poor translation.

If the fourth edition of the DG receives a major overhaul, you might consider buying it. I am astounded by the number of positive reviews for this and previous editions, since I believe the DG does not address enough of the subjects that really matter to MySQL administrators.

Apress does publish many outstanding books, such as Running IPv6 or several titles on Python. I recommend checking out those works.

Please save your money - I wish I had
First a bit about me: I MySQL 4 certified both core and professional. I have 2.5 years production experience with MySQL and 6 years with databases in general.

I bought this book based on the table of contents thinking I would get a good read on the differences between versions 4 and 5. Then I would begin my journey towards certification.

While this book may be good at telling me about 5, I have found so many factual errors in the first 200 pages that I am going to set it aside for fear that I will be mislead on topics that are new to me.

Here are some examples:
- The author says it is possible to drop a table where foreign key constraints are in place. This is false. The server will return an error and InnoDB status will provide detail.
- The author states that the location of orphan records in a child table can be done by a simple subselect. While this is true, in any table larger than a few thousand rows the query will take forever. This should be done with an outer join.
- The author states (pg 153) that MySQL is case-sensitive in regard to database and table names. This is true in operating systems that are case sensitive (Linux, OS X, Unix) but not Windows. While it may not seem like a big deal, a DB using InnoDB tables will not port from Linux to Windows if varied case is used in these names.
-On page 8 the author states that use of MyISAM tables precludes hot backups. MySQL has shipped with mysqlhotcopy since version 3.23 (Note InnoDB does require the purchase of InnoDB Hotbackup)
-On the same page the author states that MySQL is unsuitable for OLAP applications. Again this is false. MyISAM tables provide a number of very powerful features that support data warehousing. MySQL has even partnered with Business Objects on just this type of system.

Given these and many other details, it appears to me that this book was written by someone who uses MySQL is one specific way, thus it defines their experience with the system.

I strongly recommend against this book.

Pretty good
This book has some good stuff, but the only thing I dislike about it is that it references the 5.0.3 beta release. So you get a lot of "at the time of this writing ...". At the time of this review, mysql is on 5.0.19. But for the most part, you gain some good knowledge. Thin on some topics so definitely get another book to compliment this one. So overall, I would buy this book and probably 1 more. The reading is easy and you walk away knowing how to use mysql. And for the record, IMHO mysql has a lot of work ahead of itself if it wants to go against Oracle.

Great Information
I bought this book as a beginner to SQL and Mysql. I have 7 year of experience in the computer field. This book was great at covering all the features of MySql.
Where I feel it was lacking is in the how to. I would recommend this book to others though.

Learn how to use MySQL with this book
If you want to learn MySQL, you should buy this book. Language used in this book is simple, so even Enlish is not your mother tongue like me, you can easily understand this book. Page design helps its simplicity too. Almost every program that is used with MySQL is explained in detail - even some of the links of these programmes is given you to download. Especially if you are designing web based applications with PHP, this book is essential. I strongly advice you to purchase this book.

It’s kind of definitive.
My requirements for this book for quite light, so I can’t say that I used it to its full potential, but I can say that it filled my requirements completely, and it clearly has so much more ready and waiting to show me in the future.

Ranging from first steps with MySQL all the way up to the advanced features, ’definitive’ is a good description for the book. I’ve always found that there are great MySQL resources on the web, but the layout of the book, clear descriptions and concise examples will give you a single location and unified view of anything you’ll need.

There isn’t really any point mentioning individual sections. Readers experienced with other databases will find coverage for all of the sections they expect, and likewise new users will be provided the information they require. This is one of the few books I’ve seen that works for both picking up a new topic and as a reference for flipping to a specific section.

I was a little concerned that it was written in another language and translated to English for this copy, but apart from some of the sample data in the examples this is never an issue.

You won’t find a better MySQL resource than "The Definitive Guide to MySQL"... until the next revision comes out!

Definitely a definitive guide


"The Definitive Guide to MySQL5 3rd Edition" certainly deserves its title. It is a large, dense, complete guide to MySQL and updates its predecessor edition by covering new MySQL5 and new auxiliary software including database administration tools and interfaces. MySQL is the open-source database software which has become very popular for web-based database applications now being used by Yahoo, NASA, Slashdot, and other entities.

The author of this book, Michael Kofler, has a Ph.D. degree in computer science and is an accomplished writer of technical books. The audience is intermediate to high-level database designers and programmers. Although the presentation assumes little prior knowledge of MySQL and databases, it does assume a good amount of contact with and knowledge of programming languages. The topic of this book does not lend itself to an easy, flowing writing style. Reading through this complex material is like chewing on heavy New England pound cake. That is not a criticism of the author as he thoroughly presents the topics in a comprehensive, workmanlike, textbook-like manner. The discussions of databases and MySQL features are lightened by numerous table, charts, graphics, and examples of relevant matters.

The updating from the 2nd Edition of "The Definitive Guide" involves the upgrade of MySQL from version 4.1 to 5.0 which now provides support for Unicode, the sub-SELECT and GIS functions, improved authorization features, addition of stored procedures, and other new commands and server options. It also includes discussion of new or updated auxiliary software used with MySQL, like PHPAdmin and new interfaces for Open Office, Star Office, and Apo.NET.

There are six parts with twenty-three chapters and 3 appendices, amounting to 748 pages with index. The parts entail an introduction to MySQL and databases, administrative tools and user interfaces, fundamentals of database design, programming using MySQL, and detailed content references. The appendices include short segments of a glossary, bibliography, and notes about the sample code files available for downloading from the publisher’s website at www.apress.com.

The beginning chapters introduce the basic concepts of MySQL including its client-server architecture, tables, fields, queries, keys, and the distinction between relational and object-oriented databases. The author focuses the bulk of the book on relational databases. The many features of MySQL are itemized and other matters like licensing and setting up test environments are discussed. A large segment of this early material offers instruction on installing under Windows and Unix/Linux platforms and configuring the installations for function, usability, and security. An introductory example of building an opinion poll application with PHP is provided.

Chapters 4 - 6 cover a number of administrative tools to use with MySQL, including mysqladmin, mysqldump, and PHPAdmin. The author spells out how to install and configure, set up user management and security, create and edit databases, import and export data, and use auxiliary functions, among other things.

The best chapter, in my view, is Chapter 8 on database design. The technical aspects of databases are well-covered, like the various table types and data types, but the more theoretical aspects are noted in some length. There is some art in creating databases and tables which is above the technological. Correct design with related tables is crucial to efficiency, ease of use, accuracy, ability to revise, and consistency. A segment on "tips and tricks" in database design is especially interesting.

The bulk of Part 3 contains a comprehensive presentation of SQL features, syntax, configuration, and security issues, The new functions of version 5 are explored, like GIS and stored procedures and triggers. A section on transactions for advanced users and setups is nicely done. For novice users, mention is made of the "...I-am-a-dummy" option which warns and provides a second chance to avoid inadvertent updating or deleting of a table. Chapter 14 is all about maintenance issues - backing up, importing, logging, and replication.

Part 4 deals with how to combine MySQL with programming languages like PHP, perl, Java, C, Visual Basic, and Visual Basic.NET. Each is treated similarly - detailing features, concepts, syntax, and programming techniques. Most of the attention is given to PHP, which is described as a natural companion to MySQL for use in developing dynamic web applications.

Chapter 21 is a comprehensive SQL reference of operations, functions, data types, variables and constants, and commands. There are a large number of charts and tables to bring order to the dense material. Chapter 23 contains material on the various API’s which can interact with MySQL. These include PHP.API, perl.API, JDBC, ADO-net, and C.API.

For those with a need to know, and those with a desire to learn MySQL, this volume contains nearly everything you would want and expect, not only about MySQL itself but about the software that interacts with it or web servers. The author deserves credit for presenting the dense material in a thorough and orderly manner.

The book I reach for
This is the best-written computer book I own. I use it constantly for the LAMP system we are learning and using; I know that when I turn to this book I will find what I need explained with clarity and felicity - to explain all of these topics in an almost casual way. I especially appreciate tips such as setting up a username/pw in an include file, and the other security tips.

I go through these pages, try it on the linux, and it works. This book is as much fun as a novel, but leaves me with something entirely non-fiction. This is the book I reach for.

Title is not indicative of book’s organization or content
Because of the very high reviews of this book, I purchased it in the hopes of getting a quick introduction to and solid reference for MySQL. I wanted a handy book on my shelf primarily on MySQL, so "The Definitive Guide to MySQL" seemed like an appropriate source.
Unfortunately, the book expects the installation of several non-essential packages beyond the MySQL client and server. These include Apache, PHP, phpMyAdmin, and Perl (Chapter 2). Then, the introductory example (Chapter 3) is mostly about programming and testing an application in PHP with a MySQL database as a backend. At this point, I realized that the organization of the book did not meet my needs and purchased "MySQL (Third Edition)" by Paul DuBois, the organization of which demonstrates that it really concentrates on MySQL and which is actually the definitive guide I was originally looking for.
I am a professor of computer science at a research university and require resouces that immediately focus on the technical details of the package and get me up to speed quickly and in a logical progression. While Kofler’s book is probably fine for some potential readers, I cannot recommend it due to its inadequate focus on MySQL.

A Must for MySQL Developers and Administrators Alike
The Definitive Guide to MySQL is a thorough, yet easy to understand resource for enhancing your database skills and knowledge. This book isn’t just another version of the MySQL documentation. It teaches the reader a great deal about relational database design and all of the options to consider beforehand, such as choosing a table type, when and where to use indexes, etc. The book also provides a solid understanding of administering a MySQL installation, exploring such topics as performance tuning, backups, replication, and upgrades.

For those on the programming side, you will find information on creating applications using a wide variety of languages, including PHP, Perl, Java, C++, and Visual Basic, although PHP is the most extensively covered.

Overall, I’d say Michael Kofler did an excellent job on this book. All of the examples and explanations are clear and concise. If you are simply looking for a quick MySQL function reference, stick with the documentation. However, if you want to really learn how to get the most out of MySQL, this book is a must.

Great Resource - one of the best
Fully updated to include information on MySQL 4.0 and 4.1 "The Definitive Guide to MySQL, Second Edition" is one of the most through and yet easily understandable texts on MySQL available. The author assumes no previous knowledge of SQL or even database theory and design so you really start at the beginning. In fact chapter five, database design, is one of the more lucid explanations of relational databases and design theory that I have read anywhere.

Another item that differentiates this book from others of the same genre is the inclusion of a chapter of SQL recipes. This chapter is basically a cookbook that takes the most common tasks you may need to accomplish with your MySQL database and provides a recipe to accomplish that task.

It includes coverage of InnoDB tables (very important in a multi-user environment) and many other items besides the usual installation, administration, and configuration items you would expect. Of course, if you are writing a MySQL application you will have to use some sort of programming language to write your program. In keeping with the OpenSource theme of the book it includes extensive coverage of PHP, Perl, Java, C, C++, Visual Basic, C#, and ODBC. The book does not pretend to teach any of these programming languages but provides the information to use them with MySQL if you know that particular language. As a regular user of PHP, Perl, Visual Basic, and ODBC connections I found the coverage to be excellent, including everything you need to know to connect to the database and do whatever you need.

The book ends with an excellent reference section, a section on MySQL Tools, and even a section an API reference. In short it is one of the most exhaustive books on the subject and provides everything for a new user as well as complete reference coverage for an experienced user, programmer, or administrator. "The Definitive Guide to MySQL, Second Edition" is highly recommended for anyone interested in learning, administering, or programming MySQL.