This document discusses the history and current state of open source databases, focusing on MySQL and MariaDB. It describes how MySQL originated in the 1990s and was later released under the GPLv2 license, driving its adoption. It then discusses how MariaDB was launched in the 2010s to avoid lock-in and be controlled by the independent MariaDB Foundation. The Foundation aims to ensure free public access to MariaDB, promote its development, drive adoption, and promote collaboration between developers and users.

1. On the past, present and
future of Open Source
databases –
A personal journey
Kaj Arnö
Shift Dev 2019
Spllit, Croatia, 30-31 May 2019

2. 1970s: Distant Past
Punch cards
Anti-trust case in US 1969-82
APL, everything in memory
(Re)inventing every wheel
ISAM
Buying 16KB of RAM for Z80
● 80 character long lines
● MyISAM still in use in MariaDB
● Python, pandas, memory
● Obsessive optimisation of
performance in MySQL and MariaDB
● Looking at machine code level of
execution
● EU new (only) anti-trust watchdog
2MariaDB Foundation
https://mariadb.org

4. Early 1980s: Relational
Focus 4GL, hierarchical database
Information Builders, Inc.
12 rules of Codd
Object oriented databases
Beginnings of MySQL
● Object-Relational Mapping
● Denormalisation
● Column Store
● MongoDB
● Oracle
● Oldest surviving MariaDB code
4MariaDB Foundation
https://mariadb.org

6. Late 1980s: Diversity
MS/DOS, PC/DOS
MS Access
DB2
Sybase
Microsoft SQL Server
Linux, GNU, Free Software
● Storage Engine Architecture
● CONNECT Storage Engine
● Value of Ease of Use
● FSF
● Value of Open Source
6MariaDB Foundation
https://mariadb.org

8. 1990s: MySQL launched
Delphi, Firebird
PostgreSQL academic beginnings
MySQL, A Toy Database
Not even transactions!
Try it, you can move away if you want to!
ACID compliance
PHP, LIMIT 10
● Database and development language hand in
hand
● Value of easy upgrades
● Value of backward compatibility
● Pragmatics vs Academics
● MyISAM, .frm files, MySQL 8
8MariaDB Foundation
https://mariadb.org

10. 2000s: Mainstream
MySQL goes GPLv2
Open Source / FOSS
Cathedral and Bazaar
LAMP
SAP R/3
Sun Microsystems
Oracle
● Unicorns
● Necessity of Open Source
● Infrastructure
● Value of Open Source
● Value of avoidance of Lock-In
● Github Pull Requests
10MariaDB Foundation
https://mariadb.org

12. 2010s: Era of MariaDB
SkySQL Corporation
Avoidance of Lock-In
Monty Program Ab
MaxScale
Business Source Licensing
MariaDB Foundation
China
● Free public access
● Development not just by one company
● Adoption world-wide
● Collaboration between developers of
MariaDB
● Collaboration between users of MariaDB
12MariaDB Foundation
https://mariadb.org

14. ● MariaDB Foundation holds control over the MariaDB Server repository
https://github.com/MariaDB/server
● MariaDB Foundation is a non-profit organization
○ Board members come from many different organizations
○ Receives funding from a wide range of sponsors
14MariaDB Foundation
https://mariadb.org
Ensure Free Public Access of
MariaDB Server

15. ● One major release ~ every year
● Open Issue Tracker
https://jira.mariadb.org
● Development done in the open. Public
roadmap
● Most features compatible with MySQL
● Features unique to MariaDB
15MariaDB Foundation
https://mariadb.org
Promote development of
MariaDB Server
MariaDB 5.5
Merge with MySQL 5.5
Apr
2013
MariaDB 10.0
Replication Improvements
Mar
2014
MariaDB 10.1
Galera, Encryption
Oct
2015
MariaDB 10.3
Oracle Compatibility, System
Versioned Tables
May
2018
MariaDB 10.2
Advanced Querying Features
Apr
2017
MariaDB 10.4
Performance & Security
Apr
2019

16. 16MariaDB Foundation
https://mariadb.org
Drive Adoption
Based on Debian PopCon statistics

17. 17MariaDB Foundation
https://mariadb.org
Promote Collaboration
● Encourage open discussions on Zulip
https://mariadb.zulipchat.com
and our mailing-lists:
https://launchpad.net/~maria-developers
● Working on a community available testing and CI system:
https://buildbot.mariadb.org

18. 18MariaDB Foundation
https://mariadb.org
Promote Collaboration
● Proactively aim to improve security
https://hackerone.com/mariadb
● We have handled over 1000 pull requests from community contributors
● Merged significant features from contributors:
○ MyRocks (Facebook)
○ Instant ADD Column (Alibaba & Tencent)
○ Spider Storage Engine Updates (Kentoku Shiba)
● Participate in Open Source programs such as Google Summer of Code (7
Years and counting)

19. 19MariaDB Foundation
https://mariadb.org
Promote Collaboration
● We have handled over 1000 pull requests from community contributors
● Merged significant features from contributors:
○ MyRocks (Facebook)
○ Instant ADD Column (Alibaba & Tencent)
○ Spider Storage Engine Updates (Kentoku Shiba)
● Mentor students as part of Google Summer of Code (7 Years and
counting)

20. 20MariaDB Foundation
https://mariadb.org
Hvala lijepa!
Contact details:
kaj@mariadb.org
About:
https://mariadb.org/kaj