[Koha] Difference Between MariaDB and MySQL

[Coehoorn, Joel]

There's some fun history here.

MariaDB was created when Oracle bought out Sun Microsystems in January
2010. Sun had owned the MySql DB project, but since the project was open
source that's not the same as full ownership of the code itself. Oracle
doesn't exactly have the best reputation as a good steward for open source
projects, so when the acquisition was announced several prominent MySql
contributors started their own project based on the then-current MySql
code. The express purpose of the project is to ensure a MySql-compatible
database remains available should Oracle start to behave poorly.

So, then, the whole point of the MariaDB project is that it should be
compatible with MySql.

Additionally, the licensing used with MariaDB is seen as a little better
(more permissive for end users, while also safer for the "pure" open source
projects like Debian).

As for the Oracle situation, MariaDB has been partially successful. The
existence of the project has effectively prevented Oracle from closing off
MySql code in favor or their prior Oracle Database (the pricing model for
which would shock you -- they have customers who pay over $100,000 for a
single instance). However, it has not stopped Oracle from allowing the
project to become stagnant. MySql (and MariaDB) have until recently lacked
*many* modern database features: CTEs, recursive queries, lateral joins,
windowing functions, transaction DDL, correct/ansi NULL handling by
default... I could go on and on and on. Sql Server, Postgresql, and Oracle
have all had all of those features for over a decade.

Really, **no one** should have started new projects with MySql (or MariaDB)
from around 2012 -- when it was clear MySql had fallen far behind and
wasn't progressing -- through April of 2018, when MySql 8.0 finally went
GA. Today, MySql is (thankfully) finally advancing as a project again, but
it still has some catch-up to do, and given a choice I'd much prefer to be
using Postgresql in Koha.

Joel Coehoorn
Director of Information Technology
402.363.5603
*jcoehoorn at york.edu <jcoehoorn at york.edu>*

*Please contact helpdesk at york.edu <helpdesk at york.edu> for technical
assistance.*


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On Thu, Dec 12, 2019 at 12:15 AM Charles Kelley <cmkelleymls at gmail.com>
wrote:

> Hi, all!
>
>     Is there a difference between MariaDB and MySQL in the working
> environment of Koha?
>
>     Thanks for your input.
>
> --
>     -- Charles.
>
>     Charles Kelley, MLS
>     PSC 704 Box 1029
>     APO AP 96338
>
>     Charles Kelley
>     1-5-2 Tsukimino #210
>     Yamato-shi, Kanagawa-ken, 〒242-0002
>     JAPAN
>
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>
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