October 29, 2009
MariaDB first released
Michael Widenius released MariaDB 5.1.38 on October 29, 2009 — a community fork of MySQL after Oracle acquired SunSun Microsystems — maker of Java, Solaris, and SPARC; acquired by Oracle in 2010..
What it was for
MariaDB stays wire-compatible with MySQL while adding storage engines (Aria, ColumnStore) and staying GPLGNU General Public License — a widely used open-source license that requires derivatives to stay open.-licensed. Linux distros (Debian, Fedora, RHEL) replaced default MySQL packages with MariaDB. TeamsMicrosoft Teams — chat, video calls, and Office integration for workplace collaboration. forked to keep an open, community-governed SQLStructured Query Language — the standard language for querying relational databases. database when Oracle owned MySQL.
Why it's here
MariaDB was Monty's answer to fears that Oracle would stall MySQL's open development.
Why it mattered
It preserved a drop-in MySQL alternative adopted by major Linux distributions worldwide.
What it solved
The MySQL community needed a fork they could trust after SunSun Microsystems — maker of Java, Solaris, and SPARC; acquired by Oracle in 2010.'s acquisitionOne company buying another — a common path for tech giants to absorb products and talent. by Oracle.
Media
ImageMariaDBSoftware: MariaDB developersScreenshot: VulcanSphere, GPL, via Wikimedia Commons
Related
- MySQL first releasedMay 23, 1995
- SQL database language inventedMay 1, 1974
- PostgreSQL 6.0 releasedJanuary 29, 1997