MasterPHP

Introduction

In the previous lesson, you created and selected a database. Now it’s time to store actual data inside it.

This is where tables come in.

What is a Table?

A table is a structured format used to store data inside a database.

It is made up of rows and columns:

Columns define what kind of data is stored
Rows represent individual records

For example, a table for users might store names and email addresses.

Example of a Table

+----+--------+-------------------+
| id | name   | email             |
+----+--------+-------------------+
| 1  | Rohan  | rohan@email.com   |
+----+--------+-------------------+

Each row is a single user, and each column stores a specific piece of information.

Understanding Columns and Data Types

When creating a table, you need to define columns along with their data types.

Some common data types:

INT: used for numbers
VARCHAR: used for short text
TEXT: used for longer text

Data types help MySQL understand what kind of data will be stored in each column.

Creating Your First Table

Before creating a table, make sure you have selected your database:

USE myapp;

Now create a table:

CREATE TABLE users (
  id INT AUTO_INCREMENT PRIMARY KEY,
  name VARCHAR(100),
  email VARCHAR(100)
);

What This Command Does

Creates a table named users
Adds an id column that automatically increases for each record
Sets id as the primary key (unique identifier)
Adds name and email columns

Viewing Tables

To see all tables inside your database:

SHOW TABLES;

Common Mistakes

Forgetting to select the database before creating a table
Missing commas between column definitions
Using incorrect data types

These small errors are common when starting out, so take your time while writing queries.

Summary

A table is where data is stored inside a database.

It consists of rows and columns.

You define columns using data types when creating a table.

You also learned how to create and view tables in MySQL.

Tables in MySQL