The newest release of the database management system, mariadb 12.0.2, has been published by the Mariadb project. This release marks the first stable release of the 12.0 branch, which is designated for intermediate releases (Rolling) and continues to develop functionality. The 12.0 branch has replaced the previous 11.8 branch. Additionally, Mariadb 12.1.1, with the status of a candidate for release, has also been announced, and further development will lead to the formation of Mariadb 12.1.2.
Mariadb, a project that develops a MySQL branch maintaining reverse compatibility while integrating additional storage and capabilities, is overseen by the independent organization of Mariadb Foundation. The development process is open and transparent, independent of individual manufacturers. Mariadb is commonly used as a replacement for MySQL in various Linux distributions and is implemented in major projects such as Wikipedia, Google Cloud SQL, and Nimbuzz.
The latest update, Mariadb 12.0.2, introduces several new features and enhancements. These include support for SSL key and protected passwords, allowing for the setting of SSL certificate passwords through variable ssl_passphrase or manual entry when initiating the server. Other additions include the “set Session Authorization” feature for performing actions under another user, support for Hashi Sha-2 in the plugin File_key_management.so, and weak cursor variable support for sys_refcursor type to limit the maximum number of open cursors. Additionally, the “to_char” function now includes support for the FM format to exclude additional padding when formatting strings.
Furthermore, the utility mariadb-check has been enhanced to improve database management and maintenance tasks. Overall, these updates aim to enhance the functionality and performance of Mariadb for users across various platforms and applications.