What are the True Limits of MySQL Database Table Size?

Maximum Number of Records in a MySQL Database Table

Concerned about the limitations of MySQL database table storage, many developers wonder about the implications of using auto-increment fields and the potential issues associated with adding millions of records.

The answer is that the practical limits of table size extend far beyond the integer limits of primary key fields. While using an integer as a primary key limits the number of unique rows to the maximum integer value, it is not necessary to use an integer as the primary key. Alternative options, such as CHAR(100) or composite primary keys over multiple columns, can significantly increase row capacity.

The true limits of table size are more dependent on external factors such as operating system file size limitations, hardware storage capacity, and the size of each row. MySQL does impose some internal restrictions, with InnoDB tables supporting a maximum of 2⁴⁸ rows and a maximum tablespace size of 64 terabytes per table. In practice, however, other performance considerations often become limiting factors long before these limits are reached.

For the older MyISAM storage engine, the default row limit has been increased from 2³² to (2³²)² in recent versions, providing even greater capacity. However, it is generally not recommended to use MyISAM today due to limitations compared to InnoDB's capabilities.

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