• · InnoDB: The default storage engine as of MySQL 5.5.5. InnoDB is a transaction-safe (ACID compliant) storage engine for MySQL that has commit, rollback, and crash-recovery capabilities to protect user data. InnoDB row-level locking (without escalation to coarser granularity locks) and Oracle-style consistent nonlocking reads increase multi-user concurrency and performance. InnoDB stores user data in clustered indexes to reduce I/O for common queries based on primary keys. To maintain data integrity, InnoDB also supports FOREIGN KEY referential-integrity constraints
• · MyISAM: The MySQL storage engine that is used the most in Web, data warehousing, and other application environments. MyISAM is supported in all MySQL configurations, and is the default storage engine prior to MySQL 5.5.5.
• · Memory: Stores all data in RAM for extremely fast access in environments that require quick lookups of reference and other like data. This engine was formerly known as the HEAP engine.
• · Merge: Enables a MySQL DBA or developer to logically group a series of identical MyISAM tables and reference them as one object. Good for VLDB environments such as data warehousing.
• · Archive: Provides the perfect solution for storing and retrieving large amounts of seldom-referenced historical, archived, or security audit information.
• · Federated: Offers the ability to link separate MySQL servers to create one logical database from many physical servers. Very good for distributed or data mart environments.
• · NDB (also known as NDBCLUSTER)—This clustered database engine is particularly suited for applications that require the highest possible degree of uptime and availability.

Storage Engines Feature Summary

^[a] InnoDB support for geospatial indexing is available in MySQL 5.7.5 and higher.

^[b] InnoDB utilizes hash indexes internally for its Adaptive Hash Index feature.

^[c] InnoDB support for FULLTEXT indexes is available in MySQL 5.6.4 and higher.

^[d] Compressed MyISAM tables are supported only when using the compressed row format. Tables using the compressed row format with MyISAM are read only.

^[e] Compressed InnoDB tables require the InnoDB Barracuda file format.

^[f] Implemented in the server (via encryption functions), rather than in the storage engine.

^[g] Implemented in the server, rather than in the storage engine.

^[h] Implemented in the server, rather than in the storage engine.