Which MySQL database engine to pick for a given table?

MySQL allows to select a different king of engine on a per table basis at creation time of each table. Each engine has its advantages and caveats. Here is a brief summary:

• MyISAM: fastest disk based, least space requirement, non-transactional, slow crash recovery
• InnoDB: slowest engine, transactional, fastest crash recovery
• HEAP:fastest overall engine, limited by live memory, limited attribute types, no crash recovery

References:

• Which Storage Engine (table handler) to use?