MySQL is an open-source relational database management system (RDBMS) developed by MySQL AB in 1995 and now maintained by Oracle Corporation. It uses SQL (Structured Query Language) as its standard language for managing and manipulating relational databases. MySQL is designed to store, retrieve, and manage large amounts of structured data efficiently. It is widely used for web applications, enterprise systems, and data-driven platforms due to its high performance, reliability, and ease of use. MySQL supports multiple storage engines like InnoDB and MyISAM, allowing developers to choose the best option for their data and workload. Key features include data integrity with ACID compliance, transaction support, replication for high availability, and scalability for large-scale applications. MySQL allows users to create, read, update, and delete data with DML commands, define database schemas with DDL commands, and manage access with DCL commands.