mysql regular expression matching query

Question

Is this both query are similar? or which query is best to use.

SELECT name FROM employees WHERE skill_sets REGEXP '[[:<:]]php[[:>:]]'

SELECT name FROM employees WHERE skill_sets LIKE '%php%'

Answer 1

see a article :

http://thingsilearn.wordpress.com/2008/02/28/mysql-query-speed-regexp-vs-like/

If you just need fast, ‘any character’ pattern matching though, LIKE is your friend.