Five Compelling Reasons to Use MySQL

The hardest part of enumerating the best reasons to use MySQL is figuring out in what order the reasons should be presented. It's like the age-old debate about the chicken and the egg. Are MySQL's lower costs of ownership (TCO) attributable to its simplicity? Is it ubiquitous because of that low TCO, or is it the other way around? There are no hard and fast boundaries separating the best features of MySQL; they run together like in a watercolor painting.

No matter, it is the result that counts, and MySQL is proven to be cost-effective, flexible, widespread and well-supported. What's not to like? Here, in no particular order, are the top five reasons you should use the MySQL database.