Should existing WordPress installations with MySQL migrate to MariaDB now that MariaDB is more popular?

I noticed at that the share of MySQL use has dropped below 50% and MariaDB is now more popular. Is this a reason to migrate to MariaDB? Is there a risk that MySQL-compatibility will get less attention and going forward WordPress is guaranteed to run well only on MariaDB?

I noticed at https://wordpress/about/stats/#mysql_versions that the share of MySQL use has dropped below 50% and MariaDB is now more popular. Is this a reason to migrate to MariaDB? Is there a risk that MySQL-compatibility will get less attention and going forward WordPress is guaranteed to run well only on MariaDB?

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Share Improve this question asked May 7 at 0:15 OttoOtto 10322 bronze badges

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MariaDB and MySQL are unlikely to diverge dramatically, but MariaDB is under active development whereas MySQL is Oracle's ginger stepchild. It'd be a good idea to make the switch, but it's not urgent.

If possible, yes it is a reason for a change, just not an urgent one. The trend is that maria becomes the default DB for linux distributions whih is probably why it gains popularity as reflected by the wordpress stats.

Both are already non compatible in 100%, and the noncompatibility will increase over time. the fact that maria is more popular will lead to more developers using it by default which will result in better testing of new code agains maria.

is it urgent? not at all. if you have a site that already runs well on mysql it definetly can wait until you need to switch hosting or some other major restructuring.

Is This a Reason to Migrate?

• No Immediate Need to Migrate: Both MySQL and MariaDB are officially supported by WordPress. MySQL remains fully compatible and widely used. There is no urgent requirement to switch if your current setup is stable and meets your needs.
• MariaDB Popularity: The popularity shift is largely due to many major Linux distributions (like Ubuntu and CentOS) defaulting to MariaDB. It is a drop-in replacement for MySQL in most scenarios.
• Performance & Features: Some users report performance improvements and additional features in MariaDB, but for most WordPress sites, the difference is negligible.