This document provides an overview of MariaDB, including:
- MariaDB is an open-source database that is a fork of MySQL with additional features and enhancements.
- It was first released in 2009 and is overseen by the MariaDB Foundation. SkySQL, formed by former MySQL executives, merged with MariaDB founder Michael "Monty" Widenius' company in 2013.
- MariaDB offers various storage engines, new features like dynamic columns and NoSQL access, and generally better performance than MySQL through optimizations and user statistics. It is widely adopted with major investors and supporters.