MariaDB: so much more than just a MySQL fork

In the course of conversations, I realise that MariaDB is still often perceived as a simple fork of MySQL maintained by a few enthusiasts. But it's an independent product maintained by teams with a name. Let's talk about why MariaDB deserves to be recognised as a standalone database.

## Origins and development

MariaDB was created in 2009 by the original MySQL developers, led by Michael 'Monty' Widenius, after MySQL was acquired by Oracle Corporation. This separation was intended to guarantee the independence and continuity of the project in the face of concerns about MySQL's future under the Oracle umbrella.

## Compatibility

Although MariaDB has maintained near-instant compatibility with MySQL since its creation, this compatibility has been greatly reduced since versions MySQL 5.7 and MariaDB 10.3, which are the last fully interchangeable versions. Some features considered obsolete have been withdrawn, others have been the subject of divergent technical choices during their porting, while improvements incompatible with MySQL have been introduced, thus reinforcing its own identity.

## Community

In order to avoid repeating MySQL's governance problems, the MariaDB Foundation , which today has a staff of around twenty, was created to be the guardian of the community version of the MariaDB server, guaranteeing that there will always be a FOSS version of the server. Its transparent governance is a strong guarantee to the community that its opinions and proposals will be taken into account.

For its part, MariaDB corporation, with over 200 employees worldwide, is actively involved in producing a large proportion of the code as well as an enterprise version of the MariaDB server. It also offers a wide range of services, as well as a multi-functional router: Maxscale.

## Adoption

MariaDB Server is used by many of the world's leading companies and institutions, such as Wikipedia, DBS and WordPress, and according to MariaDB's marketing department, by 75% of Fortune 500 companies. These users appreciate the unique advantages offered by MariaDB, particularly in terms of performance, flexibility and security.

## Conclusion

Although MariaDB was born as a fork of MySQL, it quickly evolved into a standalone product with distinct features and its own vision. Thanks to its technical innovations, commitment to the community, open governance and strong technical team of dozens of developers and maintainers, MariaDB has established itself as a robust and reliable database for modern applications. To categorise MariaDB as a simple fork of MySQL maintained by a few enthusiasts would be to ignore its significant contributions and deserved place in the database ecosystem.

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