InnoDB is the default storage engine

Database engine

A database engine is the underlying software component that a database management system uses to create, read, update and delete data from a database....

 for MySQL

MySQL

MySQL officially, but also commonly "My Sequel") is a relational database management system that runs as a server providing multi-user access to a number of databases. It is named after developer Michael Widenius' daughter, My...

 as of MySQL 5.5. It provides the standard ACID

ACID

In computer science, ACID is a set of properties that guarantee database transactions are processed reliably. In the context of databases, a single logical operation on the data is called a transaction...

-compliant transaction

Database transaction

A transaction comprises a unit of work performed within a database management system against a database, and treated in a coherent and reliable way independent of other transactions...

 features, along with foreign key

Foreign key

In the context of relational databases, a foreign key is a referential constraint between two tables.A foreign key is a field in a relational table that matches a candidate key of another table...

 support (Declarative Referential Integrity

Declarative Referential Integrity

Declarative Referential Integrity is one of the techniques in the SQL database programming language to ensure data integrity.- Meaning in SQL :...

). It is included as standard in most binaries distributed by MySQL AB

MySQL AB

MySQL AB was a software company. MySQL AB is the creator of MySQL, a relational database management system, as well as related products such as MySQL Cluster...

, the exception being some OEM

Original Equipment Manufacturer

An original equipment manufacturer, or OEM, manufactures products or components that are purchased by a company and retailed under that purchasing company's brand name. OEM refers to the company that originally manufactured the product. When referring to automotive parts, OEM designates a...

 versions.

InnoDB became a product of Oracle Corporation

Oracle Corporation

Oracle Corporation is an American multinational computer technology corporation that specializes in developing and marketing hardware systems and enterprise software products – particularly database management systems...

 after their acquisition of Innobase Oy

Innobase

Innobase Oy is a Finnish company headquartered in Helsinki, Finland. Innobase is best known for being the developer of InnoDB transactional storage engine for the MySQL open source database system. Innobase Oy is a subsidiary of Oracle Corporation, which acquired Innobase in 2005.- History :In 1995...

 in October 2005. The software is dual licensed; it is distributed under the GNU General Public License

GNU General Public License

The GNU General Public License is the most widely used free software license, originally written by Richard Stallman for the GNU Project....

, but can also be licensed to parties wishing to combine InnoDB in proprietary software

Proprietary software

Proprietary software is computer software licensed under exclusive legal right of the copyright holder. The licensee is given the right to use the software under certain conditions, while restricted from other uses, such as modification, further distribution, or reverse engineering.Complementary...

.

External links

• Mysqltutorial.org, InnoDB and other table types in MySQL
• Not-so-well-known differences between MyISAM and Innodb MySQL server storage engines
• Dev.mysql.com, InnoDB in the MySQL manual