10.11 Optimizing Locking Operations

10.11.1 Internal Locking Methods

10.11.2 Table Locking Issues

10.11.3 Concurrent Inserts

10.11.4 Metadata Locking

10.11.5 External Locking

MySQL manages contention for table contents using locking:

• Internal locking is performed within the MySQL server itself to manage contention for table contents by multiple threads. This type of locking is internal because it is performed entirely by the server and involves no other programs. See Section 10.11.1, “Internal Locking Methods”.

• External locking occurs when the server and other programs lock MyISAM table files to coordinate among themselves which program can access the tables at which time. See Section 10.11.5, “External Locking”.