Understanding the WordPress Database #
Understanding the WordPress Database, WordPress is a popular and user-friendly platform for website owners. You can create websites in WordPress without any technical knowledge. Whether you are new to WordPress or already familiar with it, it’s beneficial to understand how the WordPress database functions.
The database of your WordPress site is crucial as it stores all essential information, including usernames, passwords, blog posts, comments, and configuration files. Everything is housed in the database.
This guide will cover everything about the WordPress database and its workings.
What is a WordPress Database? #
The WordPress database uses the MySQL open-source database management system to store your website’s data and information. This includes everything on your WordPress site, from blog posts and pages to comments and settings.
The default MySQL structure of the WordPress database ensures your website operates smoothly. However, you can add more tables to customize it according to your needs. In the WordPress database, these tables are like shelves.
The Host of the Database #
Your WordPress database is hosted on a MySQL server. Think of the database host as a physical house identified by a hostname, which corresponds to the database name. All relevant information is contained within the database name, akin to a specific room in the house.
Access requires permission, which is why a username and password are necessary to enter. Typically, you can use the local host to manage and connect your WordPress to your database.
Why Does WordPress Need a Database? #
We all know that WordPress is user-friendly, but it can be more intricate than it appears. Numerous elements ensure your WordPress site operates smoothly. Essentially, a WordPress website contains various types of data, all stored centrally in your WordPress database. This database enables your website to function efficiently and saves any changes made by you or visitors.
There are several methods to use and access the database. WordPress primarily utilizes MySQL as its database management system. MySQL is an open-source software used to manage WordPress database components, including posts, comments, user meta, and more. Therefore, WordPress relies on a database to store all these data types.
What is a Database Table? #
Your data is stored in tables within the database. Each table contains unique data, displayed in rows with different pieces of information or parameters. WordPress automatically creates these tables when you set up your website.
WordPress version 4.4 will help you create the following database tables:
- wp commentmeta –
- Each comment’s unique metadata will be stored in this section.
- wp comment –
- This table contains all the comments in WordPress.
- wp links –
- This section holds all information related to links entered in the WordPress links feature.
- wp options –
- This section contains data used by WordPress to store different preferences and configurations.
- wp terms –
- It stores the types for posts, links, and tags for all posts.
- wp users –
- This table lists all users in WordPress.
- wp posts –
- In WordPress, posts where you write your blogs are stored here along with all pages and navigation menus.
- wp relationships –
- This section shows the association of posts with categories and tags from the wp-terms table.
What is an SQL Query? #
SQL, or Structured Query Language, is a programming language used to manage databases. WordPress communicates with the database using SQL queries. Simply put, whenever WordPress needs to display information, it sends an SQL query. The MySQL server processes this query and returns the requested data. WordPress uses MySQL queries to store or retrieve data and generate web pages. Here’s an example of a MySQL query:
SELECT * FROM wp_posts WHERE ID = 20;
You can perform actions such as insert, update, and delete. For example, to delete an unwanted post, you can run the following query:
DELETE * FROM `wp_posts`<br> WHERE `post_type` = ‘post'<br> AND DATEDIFF(NOW(), `post_date`) > 20
While you can manually remove spam and older posts through the WordPress interface, using a query allows you to do it much faster!
How to Manage Your WordPress Database: #
We have discussed a lot about the WordPress database so far. Now, let’s learn how to manage it.
You can handle your WordPress database or MySQL server using PhpMyAdmin. It’s an open-source, web-based tool with a user-friendly interface. First, log in to your control panel.
In the cPanel dashboard, click on the MySQL database section.
Next, click on Add new MySQL users. Enter the username, password, and click on create user.
Below, you will see a section displaying the current databases.
In the control panel dashboard, navigate to the phpMyAdmin section. Clicking the phpMyAdmin button will take you to the phpMyAdmin interface:
Now, we will perform a basic management task by creating a backup. Click on the Export tab and select the appropriate option.
