mysqld: The MySQL Server

Summary: in this tutorial, you will learn about the mysqld which is known as the MySQL Server.

Introduction to the mysqld

The mysqld is a core component of a MySQL Database Server, which is often referred to as the MySQL Server.

The mysqld is a multithreaded program that performs a variety of critical tasks such as managing access to the MySQL data directory without spawning additional processes.

When MySQL Server starts, the mysqld listens for network connections from client programs and manages database access on behalf of those clients.

The mysqld has many options that you can use at startup. To view a complete list of options, you can use the following command:

mysqld --verbose --helpCode language: SQL (Structured Query Language) (sql)

This command shows a comprehensive list of available options that allow you to configure the MySQL server based on your specific requirements.

System variables

The mysqld relies on system variables to control its operations. You can set these variables during the server startup. You can also modify the values of many system variables at runtime.

For example, the @@max_connections controls the maximum number of concurrent connections. To show the @@max_connections variable, you need to follow these steps:

First, connect to the MySQL database server:

mysql -u root -pCode language: SQL (Structured Query Language) (sql)

Then, show the value of the @@max_connections variable:

select @@max_connections;Code language: SQL (Structured Query Language) (sql)

Output:

+-------------------+
| @@max_connections |
+-------------------+
|               151 |
+-------------------+
1 row in set (0.00 sec)Code language: SQL (Structured Query Language) (sql)

The output indicates that the MySQL server can handle up to 151 concurrent client connections. Note that your MySQL server may show a different number.

Status variables

In addition to system variables, the mysqld provides a set of status variables that offer insights into its ongoing operations.

By checking and monitoring these variables, you can obtain valuable information about the runtime.

For example, you can use the Uptime status variable to show the number of seconds the server has been running:

SHOW GLOBAL STATUS LIKE 'Uptime';Code language: SQL (Structured Query Language) (sql)

Output:

+---------------+-------+
| Variable_name | Value |
+---------------+-------+
| Uptime        | 6965  |
+---------------+-------+
1 row in set (0.01 sec)Code language: SQL (Structured Query Language) (sql)

Summary

The mysqld is known as the MySQL Server, which is responsible for many critical tasks of the MySQL Database Server.

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