mysql vs mariadb

[DSinOR]

I built 2 sites with xampp 5.6.3 on win10.
The sites are hosted on A2.
In Control Panel, it is easy to find the live mysql databases and work with them.

I guess I can't stay on xampp 5.6.3 forever.
So I looked into updating my dev machine to xampp 7.

Obviously the 1st thing that pops up is that xampp now comes bundled with mariadb instead of mysql.

I have done some reading and research. Monty, Oracle, daughter Maria, speed, etc.

As of 2018, it appears that the two systems are practically equivalent.

I'm not an expert, but not a total noob either.

If my local dev machine is updated to xampp 7 with mariadb, it makes sense that my live sites should also be transitioned similarly, right?

A2 gives almost no information on mariadb, which seems weird because their knowledgebase asset is pretty comprehensive.

I have found several tutes on how to change a local xampp dev machine from old xampp/mysql to new xampp/mariadb.

But I can't find a decent explanation of how this impacts live sites on A2, or best practices concerning live sites in my situation (where live sites are on mysql).

Can someone here explain the big picture? I'm not seeing it.

Is it possible to run xampp 7 with current version of mysql instead of mariadb?
Reasons why this could be an acceptable idea or a bad idea?
Link to analysis or tute?

Thx.

[Nobbie]

What is A2?

Is it possible to run xampp 7 with current version of mysql instead of mariadb?
Reasons why this could be an acceptable idea or a bad idea?

Its a bad idea. The idea of Xampp is simply giving you an develop environmont perfectly preconfigured to run out of the box. The advantage of Xampp is the easy installation.
The disadvantage is, you cannot change any component. You have to take it as it is. No upgrade, no updates, no replacements.

If you dont like Xampps components, you cannot change it. Simply dont use Xampp in that case. There is NO support for replacing any part of Xampp.

[DSinOR]

I think this is a series of stupid questions.

xampp 5.6.6 apparently shipped with mariadb.

If i look at xampp/mysql README, it starts like this: "MariaDB is designed as a drop-in replacement of MySQL(R) with more
features, ... " You can't find the word mariadb anywhere except in the readme. All the files and stuff are named mysql.

If I look at my xampp folder and mt databases, I see the "mysql" name everywhere.

If I look at my host and my live databases, I see the "mysql" name everywhere.

And yet I've apparently been working with mariadb behind the scenes for years, without knowing it? izzat right?

I don't really understand why xampp transitioned from mysql to mariadb after the Oracle/Monty separation, and i don't understand why there is no clear documentation of what the transition means in the real world. maybe because it doesn't mean anything?

I think I've spent a half day chasing my tail.

I guess xampp is pretty awesome for a free resource, but still. Wtf is all this maria stuff? What does it mean?

You can find lots of info out there about how xampp changed from mysql to maria, but nothing about why, or what it actually means.

maybe I'll just go back to sleep and keep plowing ahead.

[DSinOR]

Hi nobbie. A2 is A2Hosting, the host for my websites. Like my xampp folders, the A2 folders and Control Panel buttons and filenames all say mysql and none of them say mariadb, and I'm not sure that any discussion of mariadb is worth entertaining.

[Nobbie]

https://seravo.fi/2015/10-reasons-to-mi ... sing-mysql

Also go to youtube and try "mysql vs. mariadb". You will get a deep insight, why MariaDB replaces MySQL.