MariaDB

MariaDB originated as a fork of MySQL after Oracle acquired MySQL. Many of the original MySQL developers created MariaDB to ensure that the database would remain fully open source and developed in a transparent way.

MariaDB maintains full compatibility with MySQL, allowing existing MySQL applications to run without modification. This compatibility makes it a practical drop-in replacement for organizations looking for an open-source alternative while preserving existing infrastructure and codebases.

Over time, MariaDB has introduced additional improvements and features while preserving the familiar MySQL architecture. Modern versions include capabilities such as GIS support and JSON functionality, expanding the types of applications and workloads the database can support.

Because MariaDB retains the same connection protocols and general behavior as MySQL, applications designed to work with MySQL typically work seamlessly with MariaDB as well. This compatibility allows teams to adopt MariaDB without major migration effort.

MariaDB is widely used across the technology industry. Notable users include organizations such as Wikipedia, Facebook, and Google, demonstrating its reliability and ability to handle large-scale workloads.