Chapter 23 . Running a Linux, Apache, MySQL, and PHP (LAMP) Server 597 consists of a server that handles storage and access to data and clients to handle interfacing with and managing the server. Client libraries are also included, and they can be used by third-party programs, such as PHP, to connect to the server. In a LAMP server, MySQL is used for storing data appropriate to the Web applications that are being used. Common uses include data such as usernames and passwords, entries in a journal, and data files. Data within a database are stored in tables; each table contains columns and rows. You could compare a table to a spreadsheet, in which each column contains a specific data field and each row contains a record. Instead of a graphical representation of the data, individual rows are accessed using a query that returns only the rows desired. MySQL was originally developed by Michael (Monty) Widenius of TcX (Sweden). In 1994, TcX needed a backend database for Web applications and decided to use one supporting SQL, a standardized and widely recognized language for interacting with databases. TcX investigated the free databases that were available at the time, plus some commercial databases, but could not find a system that supported the features it needed and could handle its large databases at the same time. Because it already had experience writing database programs, TcX decided that the best way to get what it wanted was to develop a new system that supported SQL. In 1995, TcX released the source code for MySQL on the Internet. MySQL was not an open source program at that time (due to some of the restrictions in its license), but it still began to see widespread use. MySQL was later released under the GNU General Public License (GPL). PHP PHP is a programming language that was developed specifically for use in Web scripts. It is preferred by many developers because it s designed to be embedded within HTML documents, making it simpler to manage Web content and scripts within a single file. PHP originated as a set of Perl scripts by Rasmus Lerdorf called PHP/FI (Personal Home Page/Forms Interpreter). Over time, more features were implemented, and Rasmus rewrote PHP/FI in C. In late 1997, Andi Gutmans and Zeev Suraski began working on a complete rewrite of PHP/FI. As the language evolved and more features were implemented, Gutmans and Suraski decided that it would be appropriate to rename the project to more accurately reflect these features. The name PHP Hypertext Preprocessor (PHP) was chosen, with Lerdorf s approval, to maintain familiarity for users of PHP/FI. Note
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