MariaDB Database

MariaDB is a community-developed, open-source relational database management system (RDBMS) that originated as a fork of MySQL, created by its original developers. Designed to be a highly compatible, "drop-in" replacement for MySQL, it allows users to seamlessly switch systems while benefiting from a commitment to remaining free and open-source under the GNU General Public License. MariaDB has since evolved to include new features, performance optimizations, and a wider range of storage engines (like Aria and ColumnStore) not found in MySQL, establishing itself as a powerful and versatile database solution for a wide variety of applications.

1. Introduction to MariaDB
   1. History and Origins
      1. Fork from MySQL
         1. Reasons for Forking
         2. Timeline of the Fork
      2. Role of the Original Developers
         1. Key Contributors
         2. Ongoing Involvement
      3. The MariaDB Foundation
         1. Mission and Objectives
         2. Governance Structure
         3. Community Involvement
   2. Core Philosophy and Licensing
      1. Commitment to Open Source
         1. Open Development Model
         2. Community Contributions
      2. GNU General Public License (GPL)
         1. License Terms
         2. Implications for Users and Developers
   3. Key Features and Advantages
      1. Performance Enhancements
         1. Query Optimization Improvements
         2. Thread Pooling
         3. Scalability Features
      2. Expanded Set of Storage Engines
         1. Support for Multiple Engines
         2. Pluggable Engine Architecture
      3. Feature-Rich Development
         1. New SQL Features
         2. Compatibility Enhancements
         3. Security Improvements
   4. MariaDB vs. MySQL
      1. Compatibility and Drop-in Replacement
         1. Binary Compatibility
         2. Migration Considerations
      2. Key Differences in Features
         1. Unique MariaDB Features
         2. Deprecated or Removed Features
      3. Divergence in Development Paths
         1. Release Cycles
         2. Community vs. Corporate Governance
   5. MariaDB Architecture
      1. The Client/Server Model
         1. Client Applications
         2. Server Daemon (mariadbd)
      2. The SQL Layer
         1. Query Parsing
         2. Query Optimization
         3. Query Execution
      3. The Storage Engine Layer
         1. Engine API
         2. Data Storage and Retrieval
      4. Pluggable Architecture
         1. Engine Plugins
         2. Authentication Plugins
         3. Audit Plugins
         4. Other Plugin Types