## 16.9 The EXAMPLE Storage Engine

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 The `EXAMPLE` storage engine is a stub engine that does nothing. Its purpose is to serve as an example in the MySQL source code that illustrates how to begin writing new storage engines. As such, it is primarily of interest to developers.

 To enable the `EXAMPLE` storage engine if you build MySQL from source, invoke **CMake** with the [`-DWITH_EXAMPLE_STORAGE_ENGINE`](source-configuration-options.html#option_cmake_storage_engine_options) option.

 To examine the source for the `EXAMPLE` engine, look in the `storage/example` directory of a MySQL source distribution.

 When you create an `EXAMPLE` table, no files are created. No data can be stored into the table. Retrievals return an empty result.

```
mysql> CREATE TABLE test (i INT) ENGINE = EXAMPLE;
Query OK, 0 rows affected (0.78 sec)

mysql> INSERT INTO test VALUES(1),(2),(3);
ERROR 1031 (HY000): Table storage engine for 'test' doesn't »
                    have this option

mysql> SELECT * FROM test;
Empty set (0.31 sec)
```

 The `EXAMPLE` storage engine does not support indexing.

 The `EXAMPLE` storage engine does not support partitioning.

