MariaDB vs MySQL: Understanding Key Differences and Choosing the Right Database

Choosing the right database for your project can be hard, especially with so many options. MariaDB and MySQL are both popular choices, with their own special features and benefits. But how do you know which one is best for you?

Both databases offer useful features, but their unique strengths and weaknesses can impact performance, scalability, and compatibility for different applications, like WordPress.

This detailed article will help you understand the differences between MariaDB and MySQL. We’ll talk about their main features, how fast they are, how secure they are, and how they are used in real life. This will help you make a good choice.

Overview of MariaDB vs MySQL

MariaDB and MySQL both emerged from the same roots, tracing their lineage back to the Ingres database system developed at the University of California, Berkeley.

History and Development

– Source: MySQL

MySQL was developed first in 1995 and became popular because it was easy to use and fast. But later, there was a disagreement between MySQL’s owners and Oracle, so a new database called MariaDB was developed.

– Source: MariaDB

MariaDB was developed in 2009 by the same people who started MySQL, and it aimed to keep the same things that made MySQL good while also adding new features.

– Market share of Different Database Management Systems (DBMS) / Source: DB-Engines

Now, both MariaDB and MySQL are growing separately, each with its own key features and benefits.

Key Features and Benefits

MariaDB and MySQL share many similarities as they originated from the same codebase.

However, both databases have evolved independently, leading to some distinct differences in their features and benefits.

MariaDB

MariaDB is known for being fast and able to handle a lot of work. It has special features that make queries run faster and work better with heavy traffic. MariaDB also has new ways to store data that can help it work better in certain situations.

Some useful features of MariaDB include MCS for analyzing data, MaxScale for keeping things running and balancing work, and Galera Cluster for copying data exactly.

MySQL

MySQL has also been getting better over time. It’s still very popular because many people use it and there’s a lot of help available. MySQL has different ways to store data, like InnoDB and MyISAM, each with its own good and bad points.

It also has features like searching for full words, triggers, and stored procedures, which can be helpful for making complicated database apps.

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Comparing MariaDB and MySQL

Despite having a similar structure and functionality, there are several key differences between MySQL and MariaDB.

Features	MariaDB	MySQL
Storage Engines	InnoDB, Aria, MyISAM, TokuDB, XtraDB, MariaDB Column Store	InnoDB, MyISAM, Aria, NDB, TokuDB
Speed Improvement	Optimized query execution, faster indexing, improved performance for large datasets	Continuous performance improvements, focus on speed
Larger and Faster Connections	Supports more connections concurrently, improved performance under heavy load	Enhanced connection handling, scalability improvements
Improved Replication	Galera Cluster for high availability and synchronous replication, group replication	Asynchronous replication, semi-synchronous replication, group replication
New Features/Extensions	JSON, spatial data types, window functions, MariaDB Serverless, MariaDB MaxScale	JSON, spatial data types, window functions, MySQL Shell
Secondary Database Model	MariaDB Column Store for analytical workloads	MySQL Enterprise Backup for disaster recovery and data warehousing
Data Masking	Built-in data masking capabilities for data security and compliance	Data masking features available through third-party plugins
Dynamic Columns	MariaDB Column Store for dynamic columnar storage	Limited support for dynamic columns
Monitoring	Advanced monitoring tools integrated, including Performance Schema and monitoring plugins	Basic monitoring features, with additional tools available in Enterprise Edition
Routing	Built-in routing capabilities with MaxScale for improved query handling.	Limited routing capabilities, primarily through external tools.
Analytics	Advance analytics features with support for complex queries and data types.	Basic analytics support with more advanced features in MySQL Enterprise Edition.
GitHub Stars	Over 11,000 stars	Over 17,000 stars
GitHub Forks	Over 2,500 forks	Over 3,000 forks

Performance and Scalability

Benchmark Comparisons

While it’s difficult to provide definitive benchmarks that apply to all scenarios, different studies and real-world experiences have shown that both MariaDB and MySQL can deliver excellent performance in a variety of use cases.

The following graph shows how many operations can be done per second (OPS) for four different database versions—MariaDB 10.0.21, MariaDB 10.0.18, MySQL 5.6.27, and MySQL 5.7.9—when doing simple reading work with different numbers of users from 1 to 256.

It shows that MySQL 5.7.9 is always better than the others, which means newer versions are better.

– Source: MariaDB

The numbers go up as there are more users, but they stop going up around 128 users for most versions. This means there is a limit to how much work the database can handle because of the hardware or software.

This comparison is important for understanding the differences in speed and how much work each version can handle between MariaDB and MySQL, which can help you make smart choices about upgrading your database and setting it up correctly.

However, the specific performance characteristics can vary depending on factors such as hardware, workload, and configuration.

Handling High-Traffic Workloads

When dealing with high-traffic workloads, both MariaDB and MySQL can be configured and optimized to handle the demands of demanding applications. Key factors to consider include:

Hardware	Adequate CPU, memory, and storage resources are essential for handling high-traffic workloads.
Indexing	Proper indexing can significantly improve query performance by reducing the amount of data that needs to be scanned.
Query Optimization	Optimizing SQL queries can help to minimize resource consumption and improve response times.
Caching	Utilizing caching mechanisms can reduce the number of database queries and improve overall performance.
Replication and Clustering	Implementing replication and clustering can help to distribute the workload across multiple servers, enhancing scalability and availability.

Features and Functionality

Storage Engines

Your choice of storage engine significantly impacts database performance and functionality.

While both databases support multiple engines, MariaDB offers a broader range of options, including XtraDB and ColumnStore, expanding its capabilities beyond MySQL’s InnoDB, MyISAM, and others.

MariaDB also supports Blackhole, CSV, Aria, InnoDB, Archive, Connect, Cassandra Storage Engine, and many more.

Supported storage engines on MySQL also include – MyISAM, Merge, Federated, Archive, Memory, CSV, Blackhole, Example

💡 Note: It does not matter which database supports more storage engines but which database supports the right one for your requirements.

Query Optimization

Both MariaDB and MySQL include query optimization features to improve performance and reduce resource consumption. These features can help to ensure that queries are executed efficiently and avoid unnecessary overhead.

Some common query optimization techniques include:

Optimization Technique	Description
Indexing	Creating appropriate indexes can significantly improve query performance by reducing the amount of data that needs to be scanned.
Query Caching	Caching frequently executed queries can reduce the need for repeated database lookups.
Query Rewriting	The database can sometimes rewrite queries to improve their performance or avoid potential bottlenecks.
Explain Plans	Explain plans can be used to analyze query execution plans and identify potential performance issues.

Full-Text Search

Both MariaDB and MySQL can search for full words in text, which is helpful for things like search engines, document management systems, and online stores.

The way that MariaDB and MySQL search for full words might be a little different in how they work and how fast they are. It’s best to check what your app needs and compare how both databases search for full words.

Community and Support

JSON Support

MariaDB and MySQL both support the JSON format and execute many of the same functions. However, MySQL stores JSON reports as binary objects, whereas MariaDB stores them in the form of strings.

MySQL and MariaDB, while closely related, exhibit differences in their JSON handling capabilities. MariaDB boasts a wider range of JSON functions, including JSON_QUERY and JSON_EXISTS, which MySQL lacks.

Conversely, MySQL offers the JSON_TABLE function for structuring JSON data as a table, a feature absent in MariaDB.

Function	MariaDB	MySQL
JSON_ARRAY	✔	✔
JSON_EXISTS	✔	✘
JSON_OBJECT_AGG	✔	✔
JSON_QUERY	✔	✘
JSON_VALUE	✔	✔
JSON_TABLE	✘	✔
IS_JSON	JSON_VALID	JSON_VALID

Oracle Compatibility

MySQL has some basic Oracle features compatibility. However, MariaDB is the only open-source database compatible with Oracle Database stored procedures, sequences, data types, and more.

Organizations deeply invested in Oracle’s ecosystem may find MySQL an attractive alternative due to its Oracle compatibility mode but MySQL’s support for Oracle’s PL/SQL is limited.

MariaDB is a better choice overall because it can work with Oracle syntax and has full PL/SQL support. This is good for companies that want to switch from Oracle but keep their old code and use advanced procedural features.

Security features

Both MySQL and MariaDB protect data by checking who users are and using encryption. When it comes to encryption, they do things differently.

MySQL lets you choose exactly how to encrypt redo and undo logs, but it doesn’t protect temporary table spaces or binary logs. MariaDB has more options for encryption, including protecting binary logs and temporary tables, which makes data safer overall.

MySQL and MariaDB also use different ways to check who users are. MySQL has a thing called validate_password to make sure passwords are strong. MariaDB has more choices with different validator plugins.

MariaDB has made password security better by adding the ed25519 authentication plugin in version 10.4, which is safer than the old SHA-1 method. This shows that MariaDB is committed to being very secure.

Thread Pooling

Databases use thread pooling to handle many connections at once. This method uses the same threads for new connections, which saves resources.

MariaDB is very good at this, with its community edition having a strong thread pool that can handle over 200,000 connections at once. While MySQL also has a thread pool, it is usually not as good, and is mostly available in the paid enterprise version.

– Bar graph showing the transaction rates of MariaDB and MySQL across different thread counts.

Licensing and Regulations

MariaDB and MySQL both use the General Public License (GPL), but they have different licensing plans. MariaDB is completely GPL-licensed, which means it will always be free and open-source. This is important for users who value software freedom.

MySQL has a dual license. It has a public GPL version and a private business version. The business version has more features and support, like thread pooling. While this can make it faster, it might also stop users from changing the code.

Because of its dual strategy, MySQL might be chosen by companies because of its commercial support, but it might also limit their access to the basic code.

Choosing the Right Database

If you want a database that’s made by the community, is faster, and has better security, MariaDB might be better. Here’s why:

Performance

In some tests, MariaDB has been shown to be faster and can handle more work than MySQL.

Security

MariaDB has some security features that MySQL doesn’t, like encrypting data while it’s stored and while it’s moving.

Features

MariaDB has things that MySQL doesn’t, like virtual columns, sequence storage engines, and using multiple storage engines in one table.

Community

MariaDB is made by the community, so it’s more open and clear than MySQL, which is owned by Oracle. This means users can help make the software and the development is more focused on what the community needs.

Use Cases of MariaDB and MySQL

MariaDB is often better for big, fast applications and complicated questions. Its special features, like Galera Cluster for keeping things running and InnoDB storage engine improvements, make it a good choice for hard work.

MySQL is often better for smaller applications and simpler database needs.

Uses MariaDB	Uses MySQL
Samsung	BBC
Financial Network, Inc.	Big Fish
Virgin Media O2	Spotify
Campus Cloud Services	Netflix
Auto Europe	NASA
Nokia

MariaDB and WordPress

Using WordPress with MariaDB can make your website load faster, which is good for your visitors. MariaDB is better at optimizing questions and can handle more connections at once.

MariaDB can handle more connections and transactions than MySQL, so it’s better for websites with a lot of traffic.

MariaDB has better security features, like encrypting data while it’s stored, improved ways to check who users are, and better ways to track what’s happening.

Using MariaDB on Cloudways

Cloudways provides the latest MariaDB versions on all its newly launched servers. You can select the MariaDB version based on your project requirements.

💡 Note: Once upgraded to the higher version, you can’t downgrade the MariaDB version again.

Summary

This comparison between MariaDB and MySQL looks at their main features to show how they are different. You can choose MariaDB or MySQL. Your choice will depend on what you need.

If you are starting new, have many data sources, or need a very fast relational database solution, MariaDB might be the right choice.