MariaDB

MariaDB is a fork of MySQL, created by the original developers of MySQL. It is guaranteed to stay open source. It lists features that MySQL doesn't have, or adds them faster.

When to Use

• MySQL Compatible: Drop-in replacement for MySQL.
• Open Source: If you prefer GPL over Oracle's dual license.
• Advanced Features: Flashback, Sequences, Dynamic Columns (NoSQL), Spider Engine (Sharding).

Quick Start

Same as MySQL usually.