Technical requirements

In this chapter, we will explore some of the main concepts behind relational databases, their benefits, and their applications. We will focus on one specific flavor of a relational database known as MySQL. We will use MySQL through its common User Interface (UI), known as MySQL Workbench. Whether you are using a Mac or a PC, the installation process for MySQL Workbench will be very similar, and we will walk through this together later in this chapter. This interface will allow you to interact with a database that can either be hosted on your local machine or far away in the cloud. Within this chapter, we will deploy and host our database server in the AWS cloud, and you will therefore need to have an AWS account. You can create an account by visiting the AWS website (https://aws.amazon.com/) and signing up as a new user.