MariaDB

MariaDB is a MySQL replacement DBMS, which means that we can replace MariaDB with MySQL and vice versa without any compatibility issues between one database solution and another.

The only exception can be given by the version of the database that we have. That is, over time MySQL is updated and with each update some things can change. To ensure compatibility, it is simply a matter of finding the version of MariaDB that matches the functionality of the version of MySQL that you want to replace.

programming API

When programming, for access to the MariaDB management system we use the same function APIs that are used for MySQL, so any application that uses MySQL can use MariaDB without making changes to the code.

In addition, all MariaDB configuration parameters, such as ports or sockets, are also identical, so environment variable configurations should also work without change.

MariaDB Access Clients

The MySQL clients, mysql-client, are compatible with MariaDB. In fact, installing MariaDB installs the same MySQL client binary.

Field types and SQL

The field types in both database managers are also similar. Although, depending on the version of the management system, there may be some types of fields that are not available. At higher version numbers we can find improvements, which depending on the version to be replaced may or may not be available.

Likewise, you have to see the versions to install the one that is similar to the one you are using. In new applications this should not be a problem, because generally we will install the latest stable version that will have all the new features.

For more information and a list of possible incompatibilities, you can consult the official guide.