Two decades after MySQL transformed the database world, its open-source spirit lives on more strongly in MariaDB. Born as a community-driven fork, MariaDB has matured into a modern database that preserves MySQL compatibility while going far beyond it.
In this talk, Michael “Monty” Widenius — creator of MySQL and MariaDB, and now CTO of both the MariaDB Foundation and MariaDB plc — will explain why MariaDB represents the true future of the MySQL ecosystem. He will show how MariaDB maintains drop-in compatibility while introducing critical innovations: advanced query optimizations, distributed SQL, vector search, temporal tables, and cloud-native delivery through SkySQL.
Monty will also highlight the complementary roles of MariaDB plc and the MariaDB Foundation: with MariaDB plc driving most of the engineering investment and enterprise-grade capabilities, and the Foundation ensuring openness, neutrality, and long-term sustainability. Together, they guarantee that MariaDB is both commercially strong and authentically open source — unlike proprietary forks of MySQL.
Attendees will come away with a clear understanding of how MariaDB combines MySQL familiarity with forward-looking features, robust enterprise backing, and governance that safeguards true independence.