In MySQL, don’t use “utf8”, use “utf8mb4” (2016)
1–10 of 170 posts
Re: In MySQL, don’t use “utf8”, use “utf8mb4” (2016)
#2Good reminder. I did read a well hidden article many years ago which highly recommended this. I believe I was hitting an obscure, arcane bug like the OP mentioned in the article, and after much digging managed to find this fix.
Since then, I always set every new MySQL database (and even double check the tables) to be 'utf8mb4' even long after the original lessons and pain have been forgotten.
Re: In MySQL, don’t use “utf8”, use “utf8mb4” (2016)
#3Oh, I love these kind of Unicode bugs. Also, please don't use utf16 in C# - although it advertises as using utf16, all of it's built-in string processing actually works on code units, not Unicode code points and breaks down on surrogate pairs.
Anyway, each time you start a new project that is supposed to work correctly with multi-language data, please set up evil strings test suite as early as you can and do not assume that any of the 3rd party software that you're using won't break down.
Re: In MySQL, don’t use “utf8”, use “utf8mb4” (2016)
#4Hi! Former Product Manager for MySQL Server here. I have a blog post on this here: https://mysqlserverteam.com/mysql-8-0-when-to-use-utf8mb3-ov...
The default for MySQL 8.0 (current GA) is utf8mb4. I also recommend reading this introduction post here: http://mysqlserverteam.com/sushi-beer-an-introduction-of-utf...
Re: In MySQL, don’t use “utf8”, use “utf8mb4” (2016)
#5I've "bookmarked" this: https://mathiasbynens.be/notes/mysql-utf8mb4
It digs a little bit deeper on the MySQL side (and it's from 2012 btw)
Re: In MySQL, don’t use “utf8”, use “utf8mb4” (2016)
#6Counterpoint: emojis are bad and should be discouraged
Re: In MySQL, don’t use “utf8”, use “utf8mb4” (2016)
#7Oh, I love these kind of Unicode bugs. Also, please don't use utf16 in C# - although it advertises as using utf16, all of it's built-in string processing actually works on code units, not Unicode code points and breaks down on surrogate pairs. Anyway, each time you start a new project that is supposed to work correctly with multi-language data, please set up evil strings test suite as early as you can and do not assu…
Previous discussion on HN for 'Naughty Strings', was certainly an entertaining and eye opening read...
Re: In MySQL, don’t use “utf8”, use “utf8mb4” (2016)
#8Dear database developers, please don't get hung up on string lengths.
I'd be very happy to ask the DB for (say) a UTF-8 string of up-to 80 bytes. That means I could store 80 ASCII characters, 40 two-byte characters, 20 four-byte characters or some mixture as I wish.
Re: In MySQL, don’t use “utf8”, use “utf8mb4” (2016)
#9Currently leading a massive thorny project to convert all of our databases to utf8mb4. Definitely heed this warning.
Re: In MySQL, don’t use “utf8”, use “utf8mb4” (2016)
#10>
If you need a database, don’t use MySQL or MariaDB. Use PostgreSQL.
This is stupid. There are pros and cons to every database. For example, MySQL allows you to set a trigger on an op, PostgreSQL requires you to write a function first.