MariaDB Galera open source questions return before MySQL cutoff

MariaDB Galera open source commitments are back under scrutiny as support for MySQL Galera Cluster approaches its September 30 end-of-life date. MariaDB plc says Galera remains a central GPLv2-licensed part of MariaDB, even as it works on separate proprietary replication features for enterprise customers.

The tension matters for database operators that built high-availability MySQL deployments around Galera and now must decide whether to move to MariaDB Galera Cluster, choose another MySQL clustering route, or accept a different support model. MariaDB acquired Codership Oy, the creator of Galera, in May 2025, putting the original Galera team inside a commercial database company with its own product priorities.

MariaDB had already tried to settle one round of concern in March, when it said MariaDB Community Server 12.3 would continue to ship the Galera Cluster libraries. That announcement followed developer observations that the libraries appeared to be disappearing from future versions of MariaDB Community Server, the open source database overseen by the MariaDB Foundation.

Frédéric Descamps, an open source evangelist at the MariaDB Foundation, described that earlier moment as a “friendly reset” between MariaDB plc and the community. He also said worries about Galera’s future were a predictable result of users and developers wanting continuity.

What happens to MySQL Galera Cluster users after September 30?

MariaDB has told MySQL Galera Cluster users to migrate to MariaDB Galera Cluster before support ends. Max Mether, MariaDB plc’s co-founder and vice president of server product management, said in December that the company was giving teams time to use an in-place migration method and that new feature work would be focused on MariaDB Galera Cluster.

That position consolidates Galera development around MariaDB’s database rather than MySQL. MariaDB argues that the combined engineering team can deliver stronger clustering features for MariaDB users, but the company is also making clear that it does not intend to keep investing in a separate MySQL Galera Cluster line.

Not everyone sees migration as a low-friction option. Marco Tusa, MySQL technical leader at Percona, wrote on social media that moving from MySQL to MariaDB is no longer a simple binary swap because the two systems have diverged in data dictionaries, transaction formats and system tables. Percona offers XtraDB Cluster, known as PXC, as its MySQL clustering alternative and says it has no proprietary barriers. It also maintains a tracking fork of Galera with stability fixes it considers critical.

Descamps said PXC is an understandable transition for organizations that want to stay on the MySQL codebase. He added, however, that remaining close to upstream MySQL leaves users exposed to Oracle’s long-term decisions, and said that preserving today’s MySQL compatibility does not necessarily make for the clearest long-term open source strategy.

The unresolved issue is where future Galera work happens. Descamps said most of the team that worked on Galera appears to be building a more enterprise-oriented solution, and that making that work open source is “not the current direction.” Other open source developers can still contribute to Galera, he said, but the former Codership team is working on something else.

Vikas Mathur, MariaDB plc’s chief product officer, said MySQL ecosystem innovation has stalled and that customers are looking for a database with active development. He said the original Galera team’s move into MariaDB makes MariaDB Galera Cluster an upgrade, and said users have a runway through September 2026 plus a near-zero-downtime migration path.

The Register reported that maintaining a distinct MySQL build no longer fits MariaDB plc’s commercial focus. MariaDB’s stated split is now clear: Galera remains part of its open source platform, while separate replication capabilities for heavier enterprise use cases will be sold as premium functionality. The company has not said that those premium features will be open sourced.

This story draws on original reporting from The Register.