If you're connecting to a MySQL database in your PHP application, you'll find that there are two alternative connections - mysql_connect which establishes a new connection "each time" and mysql_pconnect which uses persistent connections. Which should you use?

Mysql_connect opens a new connection each time a PHP page is called up, and closes the connection down again at the end of the request. It's ideal for pages that don't have a heavy usage - doesn't need tuning, is straightforward internally. If you compare MySQL to a shop, this is the connection that you would use for a small shop where the door is opened each time a new customer wishes to enter.

Mysql_pconnect will also open a new connection when a PHP page is called up (at any rate, it will the first time after a server reboot), but it will NOT close the connection at the end of the request - instead, it will save it in a connection pool so that a subsequent request can continue to use the same connection. It's intended for pages that do have a heavy usage - where the resources burn up by opening and closing connections every time might have a severe effect on performance. If your local supermarket had a door that was opened each time someone went in and out, there would be a lot of needless opening and closing going on - better to leave it open and let a whole lot of people in and out at the same time.

But mysql_pconnect does require some tuning of the servers and you may need to limit the numbers of connections / children and configure timeouts and how to deal with idle children. The PHP website includes an overview of this to get you started.

Finally, it is worth stressing what a persistent connect does NOT give you. It does NOT give you sessions. It does NOT give you a per-site-visitor login. It does NOT give you any extra functionality. What it does give you - in the right circumstances - is an efficiency improvement.

[Further link - Using MySQL from PHP]
(written 2004-10-30 12:23:16)

 H113 - Using MySQL Databases in PHP Pages
S156 - Interfacing Applications to MySQL Databases
S159 - MySQL 5 and PHP 5

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