Mac OS X for Java Geeks

Mac OS X Databases

The rest of this chapter will walk through the installation of popular databases on the Mac OS X platform. Each database has pros and cons, and your decision to use a specific database will probably depend on its performance, functionality, and price. You should browse the O’Reilly library for more extensive coverage of these databases before making your final decision.

MySQL

MySQL is a popular, lightweight, open source relational database. Many developers support it, which makes it an ideal database on which to start the RDBMS learning process. Over the years, MySQL has evolved, adding an increasingly broad range of sophisticated features. Still, its most popular use is as a storage mechanism for dynamic web applications—specifically those built using open source languages such as Perl and PHP. It is also an extraordinarily solid database for small, JSP-based web applications.

Installation

Installing MySQL on Mac OS X is fairly straightforward. First download a distribution of MySQL. A prebuilt Mac OS X binary is available at http://www.mysql.com/downloads/.

Tip

Currently, an ideal download is MySQL 3.23, which is the one you’ll use here. You can get it at http://www.mysql.com/downloads/mysql-3.23.html.

Scrolling through the list, you’ll notice versions available for Windows, Solaris, FreeBSD, and Mac OS X. The availability of a Windows version sometimes makes MySQL a better choice than PostgreSQL (discussed later in this chapter).

The specific version used here is ...