MySQL
The world's most popular open-source database — now with dual release tracks (LTS/Innovation) and HeatWave AI integration.
Overview
MySQL remains the most deployed database worldwide. Oracle maintains two release tracks: LTS (8.4, long-term stability) and Innovation (9.x, latest features). MySQL 8.0 reached EOL in April 2026. The commercial HeatWave platform adds in-memory analytics, ML/GenAI, and lakehouse capabilities.
Key Facts
| Attribute |
Detail |
| Website |
mysql.com |
| Latest LTS |
8.4 LTS |
| Latest Innovation |
9.3.x / 9.4.x (2026) |
| ⚠️ EOL |
8.0 → April 2026 (8.0.46 final) |
| Language |
C, C++ |
| License |
GPL 2.0 (Community) / Commercial (Enterprise) |
| Company |
Oracle |
Evaluation
| Pros |
Cons |
| Most deployed DB globally |
8.0 EOL — forced migration |
| LTS track for stability |
Oracle governance concerns |
| HeatWave: OLTP+OLAP on same platform |
GPL 2.0 — copyleft |
| AutoML and GenAI built-in (HeatWave) |
Fewer extensions than PostgreSQL |
| Group Replication / InnoDB Cluster |
Window functions added late vs PG |
| Dual-track release model |
CTE support historically limited |
Release Tracks
flowchart LR
LTS["8.4 LTS\n(long-term stability)"] -->|"upgrade"| Innovation["9.x Innovation\n(latest features)"]
EOL["⚠️ 8.0\n(EOL Apr 2026)"] -->|"migrate"| LTS
style EOL fill:#c62828,color:#fff
style LTS fill:#2e7d32,color:#fff
style Innovation fill:#1565c0,color:#fff
| Capability |
Detail |
| In-memory OLAP |
Columnar accelerator for analytics on same DB |
| Lakehouse |
Query Parquet/CSV in object storage without ETL |
| AutoML |
Train ML models with SQL, no data movement |
| GenAI |
Built-in LLM + vector store for RAG |
| Autopilot |
ML-powered auto-tuning, auto-schema |
Sources