Tag Archives: mysql

The Airtable Acquisition Raises a Bigger Question: Do You Really Own the Software Your Business Runs On?

locked-cloud-application-saas-vs-self-hosted-infrastructure

When software becomes deeply embedded in a business, it can stop feeling like software.

It becomes infrastructure.

Your data is there. Your workflows are there. Your employees know how to use it. Your automations run in the background. Your business processes have gradually been shaped around it.

Then the company behind the software gets acquired.

Suddenly, questions that once seemed theoretical become very practical:

What happens to the pricing?

What happens to the features you depend on?

What happens to

Posted in Technology in the News | Tagged acquisition, airtable, bending spoons, csv export, culture, database, database access, Evernote, export data, Filmic, hosted platform, hosted platforms vs self-hosted, infrastructure, Meetup, mission, mysql, ownership, PostgreSQL, saas, structured data, tech industry, vimeo, WeTransfer, WordPress | Leave a comment

Why MySQL FULLTEXT Search Returns 0 Results (And How to Fix It)

phpMyAdmin SQL to alter table to InnoDB for database optimization

When optimizing custom database search queries by replacing standard SQL LIKE '%keyword%' queries with MySQL MATCH() AGAINST() full-text search, you might encounter a frustrating wall: the query returns 0 results, even when the search terms exist repeatedly across your database.

You created the FULLTEXT index, wrote the SQL query, and verified the matching records exist - yet MySQL returns an empty result set.

Here is why MySQL silently drops valid search terms in Natural Language Mode, and how to resolve

Posted in Coding, Server Admin & Security | Tagged 50% Threshold Rule, boolean mode, database, full-text search engine, fulltext index, InnoDB, keyword search, like vs fulltext, MyISAM, MyISAM vs InnoDB, mysql, mysql query optimization, natural language mode, natural relevance scores, slow mysql queries, sql, table storage engine | Leave a comment

How to Fix the WordPress “Critical Error” on the Widgets Page After a PHP Upgrade

WordPress blog admin panel, widgets page, default critical error message

Upgrading your server to PHP 8+ is essential for site performance and security, but it can occasionally trigger unexpected backend crashes. A common issue after a PHP upgrade is navigating to Appearance > Widgets (/wp-admin/widgets.php) only to be greeted by the dreaded message:

"There has been a critical error on this website. Please check your site admin email inbox for instructions."

If your post editor works fine but your widget manager suddenly throws a critical error, the culprit is almost

Posted in WordPress Customization | Tagged array_merge, backend crash, cpanel, critical error, database, fatal exception, file manager, ftp, mysql, php, php 8, php error message, php upgrade, phpmyadmin, sidebars_widgets, site performance, sql query, strict typing, TypeError, website security, wordpress debug mode, WP_DEBUG, wp_options, wp-config.php | Leave a comment

The Latest WordPress Core Exploit (wp2shell) and Why Forced Updates Break Websites

WordPress critical bug, security issues, report

One of the biggest promises of WordPress is automatic security updates. When a critical vulnerability is discovered, millions of sites can be patched automatically without site owners having to lift a finger.

But when those background updates unexpectedly break active websites, that convenience quickly becomes a liability.

That is exactly what unfolded following the recently disclosed wp2shell vulnerability chain.

While issuing rapid patches was the right decision from a security standpoint, the automated push inevitably triggered unexpected compatibility crashes, fatal

Posted in Compare Website Builders, Website Security | Tagged Allowed memory size exhausted, automatic security updates, broken wordpress website, cache, cdn, fatal errors, forced updates, max_execution_time, memory_limit, mysql, php, plugin, sql, sql injection, third-party plugins, WordPress, wordpress bugs, wordpress core, wordpress core exploit, wordpress core vulnerability, wordpress hacked, WordPress REST API, wordpress vulnerabilities, wp2shell | Leave a comment

How to Stop High Server Load from Distributed Botnets, Scrapers, and Database Queue Locks

When a server load spikes to 30, 50, or 100+, most sysadmins panic and start haphazardly restarting services or blocking random IP addresses. However, modern attacks are rarely as simple as a single bad IP.

Today’s botnets use distributed Layer 7 (HTTP) floods, rotating through hundreds of unique IPs with only 1 connection each, exploiting web server application queues, fake WordPress scanners, background AJAX polling scripts, and WordPress admin-ajax.php endpoints that lock up MySQL.

This comprehensive guide covers how to diagnose,

Posted in Coding, Server Admin & Security | Tagged .htaccess, 127.0.0.1, 403 Forbidden errors, 404 errors, ajax, ajax polling, ajax requests, apache, apache rate limiting, automated system tasks, bingbot, botnets, cache, caching, cpu, cpu load, cron jobs, csf, csf whitelist, CT_BLOCK_TIME, CT_LIMIT, CT_PORTS, database polling, database queue locks, ddos attacks, distributed attack, Googlebot, high server load, http, ip address, Jeypack, layer 7, linux, load averages, mibew messenger, mod_evasive, mysql, operator refresh time, php, processes, RAM, scrapers, script, server attack, server load, server load spike, subnet attack, sysadmin commands, whitelist, whm, xmlrpc.php | Leave a comment

The Ultimate Guide to MySQL Query Optimization

PHPMyAdmin MySQL Explain Analyze command for optimizing slow queries

At its core, query optimization comes down to one goal: Make the database read as few rows as possible.

If MySQL reads 300,000 rows to return 5 results, it is slow. If it reads 5 rows to return 5 results, it is lightning fast.

In The Developer’s Guide to Identifying Slow MySQL Queries, we covered the mechanics of finding your slowest queries using server logs and gave a brief introduction to the EXPLAIN command.

But once you’ve identified a slow query,

Posted in Coding, Server Admin & Security | Tagged boolean mode, composite indexes, covering index, deferred join, ESR, explain, explain analyze, fulltext, indexes, like vs fulltext, match against, mysql, mysql database, mysql query optimization, natural language mode, order by, RAM, slow mysql queries, where | Leave a comment

The Developer’s Paradox: When No-Code Takes Longer Than Code

Webflow interface showing the multiple steps required to add a linear gradient compared to a simple, direct CSS code snippet.

The Webflow Visual Middleman: Navigating a 13-step layout panel just to execute what should be a single line of clean, native CSS code.

When searching for a development platform that wouldn't restrict their workflow, one developer reached out via our “Ask David!” support form with a familiar frustration:

"I tried Webflow for a client project. I'm a developer, and I found myself constantly fighting the interface instead of building the site. I just want to make sure that UltimateWB

Posted in Ask David!, Compare Website Builders | Tagged bloat, cms, css, css gradients, database, div, gradients, html, javascript, linear-gradient, mysql, no-code, no-code website builder, php, plugins, third-party plugins, webflow | Leave a comment

The Developer’s Guide to Identifying and Optimizing Slow MySQL Queries

This tutorial will guide you through identifying, extracting, and analyzing your most problematic database queries using the command line on a WHM/cPanel server.

If you’re using UltimateWB for your backend, chances are you won’t need any of this. We optimize UltimateWB to run fast whether your website is small or large. But in case you need it - for example, if you are adding complex custom code or building a project from scratch - this guide has you covered.

Posted in Coding, Server Admin & Security, Web Hosting | Tagged cpanel, database optimization, fast website, guide, mysql, mysql database, mysqldumpslow, optimize database, Percona Toolkit, server performance, slow mysql queries, slow query log, software development, SQL optimization, technical seo, terminal, tutorial, web performance, whm | Leave a comment

Stop Renting Your Business: Why UltimateWB Beats the Bubble “Success Tax”

UltimateWB vs Bubble, own your website vs rent, server access vs pay per play

If you’re scouring the web for a platform to build your next big idea - maybe a mutual-match app, a niche social network, or a custom marketplace - you might have been told that Bubble is the only way to do "complex logic" without a team of developers.

But there is a massive catch that most people don't realize until it's too late: The Landlord Problem.

When you build on a hosted-only platform like Bubble, you aren’t just building an

Posted in Compare Website Builders | Tagged Bubble, bubble.io, custom code, custom logic, founders, hosted website builder, mysql, no-code, no-code website builder, one-time cost, one-time fee, one-time fee website builder, ownership, php, website ownership, workload units, wu | Leave a comment

If You Were Learning Web Development in 2026, Would You Start From Scratch?

That’s an interesting "Ask David!" question! I learned web development from scratch - HTML, CSS, JavaScript, PHP, server setup, MySQL databases, all of it. That experience was valuable, but if I were starting today - or even starting a new project as an experienced developer - I wouldn’t begin from a blank folder.

Rebuilding solved problems slows real progress. In 2026, the smarter approach is to use tools that remove unnecessary friction while still letting you

Posted in Ask David! | Tagged advanced web features, beginner web development, code from scratch, coding efficiently, coding standards, css, database, dynamic websites, flexibility, html, HTML CSS JavaScript, javascript, learn web development 2026, maintainability, maintenance, mysql, php, PHP development, server setup, web development tips, website builder | Leave a comment

Tag Archives: mysql

The Airtable Acquisition Raises a Bigger Question: Do You Really Own the Software Your Business Runs On?

Why MySQL FULLTEXT Search Returns 0 Results (And How to Fix It)

How to Fix the WordPress “Critical Error” on the Widgets Page After a PHP Upgrade

The Latest WordPress Core Exploit (wp2shell) and Why Forced Updates Break Websites

How to Stop High Server Load from Distributed Botnets, Scrapers, and Database Queue Locks

The Ultimate Guide to MySQL Query Optimization

The Developer’s Paradox: When No-Code Takes Longer Than Code

The Developer’s Guide to Identifying and Optimizing Slow MySQL Queries

Stop Renting Your Business: Why UltimateWB Beats the Bubble “Success Tax”

If You Were Learning Web Development in 2026, Would You Start From Scratch?

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