它可以定义为数据库管理系统 (DBMS) 用来处理不同 SQL 操作（如从数据库中创建、读取、更新和删除数据）的软件组件。换句话说，DBMS 使用它来管理数据库中的信息。使用最广泛的存储引擎是 InnoDB，它也是 MySQL5.5 及以上版本的默认存储引擎。在 MySQL5.5 之前，默认的存储引擎是 MyISAM。
在 SHOW ENGINES 命令的帮助下，我们可以检查 MySQL 安装支持的存储引擎列表 -
mysql> SHOW ENGINES\G
*************************** 1. row *************************** Engine: FEDERATED Support: NO Comment: Federated MySQL storage engine Transactions: NULL XA: NULL Savepoints: NULL *************************** 2. row *************************** Engine: MRG_MYISAM Support: YES Comment: Collection of identical MyISAM tables Transactions: NO XA: NO Savepoints: NO *************************** 3. row *************************** Engine: MyISAM Support: YES Comment: MyISAM storage engine Transactions: NO XA: NO Savepoints: NO *************************** 4. row *************************** Engine: BLACKHOLE Support: YES Comment: /dev/null storage engine (anything you write to it disappear Transactions: NO XA: NO Savepoints: NO *************************** 5. row *************************** Engine: CSV Support: YES Comment: CSV storage engine Transactions: NO XA: NO Savepoints: NO *************************** 6. row *************************** Engine: MEMORY Support: YES Comment: Hash based, stored in memory, useful for temporary tables Transactions: NO XA: NO Savepoints: NO *************************** 7. row *************************** Engine: ARCHIVE Support: YES Comment: Archive storage engine Transactions: NO XA: NO Savepoints: NO *************************** 8. row *************************** Engine: InnoDB Support: DEFAULT Comment: Supports transactions, row-level locking, and foreign keys Transactions: YES XA: YES Savepoints: YES *************************** 9. row *************************** Engine: PERFORMANCE_SCHEMA Support: YES Comment: Performance Schema Transactions: NO XA: NO Savepoints: NO 9 rows in set (0.00 sec)