Until MySQL 8, there were two types of tablespaces: system tablespace and individual tablespace. There are advantages and disadvantages of both types. To overcome the disadvantages, general tablespaces are introduced in MySQL 8. Similar to system tablespaces, general tablespaces are shared tablespaces that can store data for multiple tables. But you have fine control over a general tablespace. Multiple tables in fewer general tablespaces consume less memory for tablespace metadata than the same number of tables in separate file-per-table tablespaces.
The limitations are as follows:
- Similarly to the system tablespace, truncating or dropping tables stored in a general tablespace creates free space internally in the general tablespace .ibd data file, which can only be used for new InnoDB data. Space is not released back to the operating system as it is...