MySQL's Public Development Stalls Amid Oracle Layoffs, Sparking Debate on Open-Source Future

The long-standing relational database MySQL appears to be at a critical juncture, with its public GitHub repository reportedly showing no new commits for over four months. This unprecedented halt in public development activity, coinciding with Oracle’s September layoffs within the MySQL engineering team, suggests a significant shift in the database’s future trajectory. While internal development may continue for Oracle’s commercial offerings, the cessation of public contributions signals a potential abandonment of MySQL’s open-source community focus, realigning it as a purely commercial product. Historical commit data for the project reveals this period of inactivity to be unique, never before reaching a complete standstill since at least 2008.

This development has invigorated discussions within the developer community regarding preferred SQL database alternatives. MariaDB, a fork initiated by MySQL’s original creator, stands as a natural successor, consistently working towards retro-compatibility with MySQL. The MariaDB Foundation emphasizes clear communication, urging MySQL users to consider their platform as a reliable open-source option. Concurrently, PostgreSQL has emerged as a dominant force in the open-source SQL landscape, increasingly adopted by new projects and services like Supabase and Neon Database. Developer surveys, such as Stack Overflow’s, show PostgreSQL as the most used database among developers, surpassing MySQL. While existing MySQL installations, particularly within ecosystems like WordPress, remain prevalent, new deployments and strategic migrations increasingly favor either MariaDB for its direct compatibility or PostgreSQL for its robust features and open governance. The ongoing debate highlights a shift in the open-source SQL ecosystem, with a clear call for developers to critically evaluate and embrace these evolving alternatives.