MySQL Thread Pool vs. Connection Pool

Given that thread and connections in the MySQL Server
have been so intertwined, it is easy to confuse the
purpose of the MySQL Thread Pool and the purpose of
a Connection Pool.

The aim of a Connection Pool is that the MySQL
clients should not be forced to constantly do connect and
disconnect. Thus it is possible to cache a connection in
the MySQL client when a user of the connection no longer
needs it. Thus another user that needs a connection to the
same MySQL Server can reuse this cached connection later on.

This saves execution time in both the client and the server.
It does however not change the dynamics of how many queries
are executed in parallel in the MySQL Server. This means that
the likelihood of too many concurrent queries to execute in
the MySQL Server is the same with or without a Connection
Pool.

Also a Connection Pool operates on the client side. This
means that it doesn't see the state of the MySQL Server when
deciding whether to send a query to the MySQL Server or not. Thus
it doesn't have the required information to decide whether to
queue a query or not. Only the MySQL Server have this information
and thus the MySQL Thread Pool has to operate in the MySQL Server.
It cannot perform its task on the client side.

Thus it is easy to see that the MySQL Thread Pool and a
Connection Pool are orthogonal and can be used independent of
each other.