When it comes to database, MySQL seems to be the safest option of all. It has been around for over 15 years and it has been used by countless developers. MySQL is also free to use, thus perfect for those with limited budget. Its open-source type also makes it even better for everyone to use it with ease. Recently, MySQL seems to finally meet the real adversary. The name is MariaDB. It is a relatively new database and lots of people claim that it has numerous great features that exceeds it over MySQL.
MariaDB vs MySQL Comparison for Aspect by Aspect
Since MySQL has been introduced to the world since 1995, many organizations and companies have invested money to the database. However, if you want to start fresh and create everything from scratch, you need to know more about MariaDB to see if it is actually a better choice compared to MySQL. Here are the comparisons.
- Storage Engines
The first aspect to see is the storage engine. In MariaDB, powerful storage engines are automatically available in it. Those are including Aria and XtraDB. They can surely enhance the performance of a database. If you use MySQL, you will have to install those engines separately and manually. It takes more time and sometimes very inconvenient. When using MariaDB, it is all already there and ready to use. It saves more time and makes your work more effective.
- Performance
It is believed that MariaDB has more features to improve its performance. MySQL is already great when it comes to performance optimizations. However, MariaDB seems to be more sophisticated and advanced. It has more recent technology, including the existence of virtual columns. They are very useful in performing the database calculation. By using them, you do not have to write the calculation in every single application. The database will do it automatically for you. Considering that the feature cannot be found in MySQL but noticeably available in MariaDB, the latter is certainly more preferred these days.
- Management
For your information, who is behind the database is quite an important aspect. As we all know, MySQL is now controlled by Oracle; one of the biggest organizations across the globe. Releasing new features will take quite a long time, of course when something is controlled by massive organization. There can be numerous meetings, testing, and so on that can delay the release of some new features. On contrary, MariaDB is still a full open source database. They are relatively quick in releasing new features and fixing bugs. Their management is also very open to suggestions and makes quick response to them.
Well, seen from the comparison aspect by aspect above, it is quite clear that MariaDB is packed with way better features that MySQL. Most of its features are quite useful in building great app and software. Considering those features cannot be found in MySQL database, it is probably better for anyone who has not got attached to MySQL to choose MariaDB instead.