MariaDB
MariaDB is an open-source relational database management system (RDBMS), created in 2009 as a fork of MySQL by its original developers. It was started in response to Oracle's acquisition of MySQL, to guarantee continued, fully open development. MariaDB stores data in tables linked by relations and exposes it through the SQL query language.
How MariaDB works
MariaDB organizes data into tables with defined columns and data types, linked by primary and foreign keys. SQL queries let you insert, read, filter and aggregate data, while ACID transactions (in the InnoDB engine) ensure consistency. MariaDB supports multiple storage engines — InnoDB for transactions, Aria, plus columnar and clustered options — as well as replication and high-availability mechanisms. It preserves a network protocol and file format compatible with MySQL, so drivers and tools like phpMyAdmin work with it seamlessly.
Practical application
MariaDB is the default database in most modern Linux distributions and hosting control panels, and it powers popular PHP applications — WordPress, PrestaShop, Magento and Joomla connect to it exactly as they would to MySQL. For a shared hosting user, the switch from MySQL to MariaDB is usually completely transparent.
On VPS and dedicated servers, MariaDB allows performance tuning (InnoDB buffers, query cache, indexes), master–slave replication for scaling reads, and application-consistent backups. It is a proven choice for stores, portals and web applications that need a stable, high-performance and license-safe relational database.
In demanding environments, MariaDB can run in a Galera cluster, which provides synchronous replication and high availability with no single point of failure. Regular backups, monitoring of the slow query log and proper indexing of columns used in WHERE and JOIN conditions are the foundation of a fast database. For most typical WordPress sites or PrestaShop stores, the default MariaDB configuration shipped by hosting panels is entirely sufficient, and tuning only becomes important with high traffic and a large, complex database.
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What is the difference between MariaDB and MySQL?
MariaDB was created in 2009 as a fork of MySQL after Oracle acquired MySQL, and it develops fully under an open-source license. It keeps near-complete compatibility with MySQL's syntax and protocol, so applications run unchanged, but adds its own storage engines (such as Aria and ColumnStore), query optimizer improvements and new features. Many Linux distributions and hosting panels now ship MariaDB as the default replacement for MySQL.