Wiki source code of What is MariaDB?

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= Replacement of MySQL ...[[image:About Us.WebHome@myitguide_small_01.jpg]] =


One of the **most popular database** servers. __Made by the original developers of MySQL__. Guaranteed to stay **open source**.

**MariaDB**  is a fork (__drop-in replacement__) __of MySQL__.  MySQL was acquired by __Sun Microsystems in 2008__.  Then, __Oracle__ acquired __Sun Microsystems in 2010 with MySQL included__.  

For several reasons, Michael Monty Widenius (the founder of MySQL) decided to fork MySQL and create a company for it called Monty Program AB. Thus, MariaDB (Maria is the //name of the second daughter of Michael Monty Widenius//) was born.

= Michael "Monty" Widenius =


[[Michael "Monty" Widenius>>https://www.linkedin.com/in/montywi]], Founder and CTO at MariaDB Foundation,__ FinlandComputer Software__,

In **1995** he began writing the first version of the **MySQL** database with **David Axmark**, released in **1996**.  


Until __MySQL__ AB's __sale to Sun Microsystems in **January 2008**__, he was the chief technical officer of MySQL AB and still one of the primary forces behind the ongoing development of MySQL. Selling MySQL to Sun, Widenius earned about __€16.6 million__ in capital gains in 2008 (€16.8 million total income), making the top 10 of highest earners in Finland that year.
 

He lives in __Helsinki__ with his //second wife Anna and daughter //__**Maria**__, and has a daughter **My** (after whom MySQL was named) and a son **Max **(giving the name for __MaxDB__) from his //first marriage.//

**Monty** with daugthers **My** and **Maria**.
[[image:MontyDaugthers.JPG||height="188" width="336"]]


In **December 2012**, the __MariaDB foundation__ was created to avoid any company acquisition like what had happened in the past for MySQL.  //SkySQL// is a company comprising of ex-MySQL executives and investors who deliver services around MySQL/MariaDB. 


In **April 2013**, there was a __merger between SkySQL and Monty Program AB__. For a company that may have wanted __to switch to MariaDB without support,__ it was problematic. However, since the merger, it has been possible.


**MariaDB** has new interesting features: **better testing, performance improvements**, and **bug fixes** that are unfortunately not available in MySQL. For example, some optimizations __come from Google, Facebook, Twitter, and so on__.


= LAMP =

**LAMP** (//**Linux, Apache, MySQL, Perl/PHP/Python**//) __software stack__. 

With __Google joining the exodus from MySQL to MariaDB,__ Oracle has another reason to regret its 2009 $7.4-billion purchase of Sun and MySQL. 

And the Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP/Python/Perl (LAMP) stack __may soon be known__ as the **Apache, MariaDB, PHP/Python/Perl **stack.


= MySQL =

**MySQL** is mainly known for being __one of the four components of the **LAMP stack**__, that is, Linux, Apache, MySQL, and PHP — **the most common technologies that make websites work**.   MySQL development started in the **80s** but the __software became famous only with the birth of dynamic websites__ between **2000 and 2001**.


Despite its substantial simplicity, MySQL's features have grown fast. It was //criticized by PostgreSQL supporters because it did not support many key features of DBMSs, such as transactions and foreign keys//. In spite of this being true at that time, MySQL had several unique features, which were extremely useful for a large amount of users. For example, it __supported replication 10 years before PostgreSQL__!  It was also __reliable and fast__.  


And as time went by, MySQL __became a complete, feature-rich relational DBMS__.


Why then did Monty Widenius, the creator of MySQL, leave the project to start a fork called MariaDB? That was because, in __**2005**, Oracle bought the InnoDB storage engine__. In **2008**, __Sun Microsystems bought MySQL__, which in turn was __bought by Oracle in **2009**__. 


Since that acquisition, MySQL belongs to its biggest competitor: a big corporation whose business is mainly proprietary, high-cost software. To be fair, we must make it clear that __Oracle__ is investing substantial resources on the MySQL technology, and //did a great job in some areas, especially InnoDB//. However, some uncertainty remains; is //Oracle selecting the new features to avoid the users of their main product switching to MySQL//? Will Oracle always invest in MySQL and keep it open source? Only Oracle managers know the answers to these questions.


What we know for sure is that **MySQL is now less open than it used to be in the past**. The __public bug database is not used by Oracle employees and contains obsolete information__. No information or test cases are released about security holes. The repositories are updated less often. And some community-oriented sites, such as a __public wiki__ edited by the community, that contain vast information __about MySQL do not exist anymore__.


= MariaDB =

On the contrary, the strength of **MariaDB** is its **continuous collaboration with the community.**  Very important new features such as multisource replication and roles have been initially developed by community members. MariaDB's __bug tracking and project management software__ allows us to know which bugs or new features are being processed, what the new versions will look like, and when they will be released.  Some developers actively communicate with users via the mailing lists and IRC channel. 


And while __MySQL documentation has always been proprietary__, **MariaDB documentation has free licenses** and can be improved by the community using a public wiki.


Most importantly, __MariaDB Foundation exists__.  It is similar to other foundations related to free software projects such as the Apache Foundation.  Monty Widenius himself is a member of the board of directors. The purpose of the foundation is **to safeguard the MariaDB source code**, and guarantee that it will always remain free. 


It also __promotes MariaDB and its ecosystem, maintaining the MariaDB Knowledge Base__. The website of the MariaDB Foundation is https://mariadb.org/.


The MariaDB and MySQL teams follow diverging roads. The starting point is the same: the state of MySQL in 2009. 


However, while the __MySQL road is going towards a less open zone__, **MariaDB is a perfectly open project.** 


The results of this __openness are positive from a technical point of view__, too. MariaDB developers and MariaDB users are both interested in constantly improving the server, and they collaborate to achieve this goal.  

= Switching from mySQL to MariaDB =


* [[Google quietly dumps Oracle MySQL for MariaDB>>http://www.zdnet.com/article/google-quietly-dumps-oracle-mysql-for-mariadb]], September 13, 2013, 
* [[Red Hat will switch from Oracle MySQL to MariaDB>>http://www.zdnet.com/article/red-hat-will-switch-from-oracle-mysql-to-mariadb-reports]], July 10, 2013,  
* Oracle who? [[Fedora & openSUSE will replace MySQL with MariaDB>>http://www.zdnet.com/article/oracle-who-fedora-opensuse-will-replace-mysql-with-mariadb]], January 31, 2013, 
* [[Wikipedia moving from MySQL to MariaDB>>http://www.zdnet.com/article/wikipedia-moving-from-mysql-to-mariadb]], December 17, 2012,