If you’re working with MySQL HeatWave, Oracle’s powerful in-memory query accelerator for analytics workloads, you might find yourself needing to verify whether your tables are properly loaded into that speedy in-memory columnar storage engine known as RAPID. HeatWave is all about boosting performance by offloading analytical queries from the standard MySQL row-based storage to an optimized in-memory […]

Something changed in MySQL 8.4 related to caching, and it is easy to miss, so it deserves a post.  And a subject adjacent to this is the missing Release Candidate for MySQL 8.4 LTS, with my hope that the next LTS will have a Release Candidate, so I also cover this topic below.

(if you are not interested in Caching and Flushing, you can jump directly to the section about Release Candidate)

If you’ve ever dived into MySQL configuration, you’ve probably come across the term “SQL modes.” These are powerful settings that can change how MySQL interprets SQL queries, handles data validation, and even enforces certain standards. But with great power comes great responsibility – choosing the wrong mode can lead to unexpected behaviors, data inconsistencies, or […]

As we shared in the MySQL Belgium Days in January, and summarized in the latest blog post , we are excited to invite you to an upcoming MySQL community webinar. This is an opportunity to connect directly with the MySQL team. Mark your calendars for Wednesday, February 25, 2026, at 10:00 am ET and join […]

This post covers a hands-on walkthrough of MySQL 8.0's JSON functions. JSON support has been in MySQL since 5.7, but 8.0 added a meaningful set of improvements — better indexing strategies, new functions, and multi-valued indexes — that make working with JSON data considerably more practical. The following documents several of the most commonly needed patterns, including EXPLAIN output and performance observations worth knowing about.

This isn't a "JSON vs. relational" debate post. If you're storing JSON in MySQL, you probably already have your reasons. The goal here is to make sure you're using the available tooling effectively.

Environment

mysql> SELECT @@version, @@version_comment\G
*************************** 1. row ***************************
        @@version: 8.0.36
@@version_comment: MySQL Community Server - GPL

Testing was done on a VM with 8GB RAM and …

What Happened at the Summits We just wrapped up two MySQL Community Summits – one in San Francisco in January, and one in Brussels right before FOSDEM. The energy in the rooms: a lot of people who care deeply about MySQL got together, exchanged ideas, and left with a clear sense that we need to […]

Right before FOSDEM kicked off, the preFOSDEM MySQL Belgian Days returned to the usual place in Brussels for two packed days (Jan 29-30, 2026). The format stayed true to what makes this event special: a friendly, hallway-track-heavy gathering with serious technical content — this year running two parallel tracks and the grand final: the RockStars […]

We are pleased to introduce the ability to export MySQL HeatWave backup data directly to an OCI Object Storage bucket in your tenancy, enabling a one-step process to create an exported backup via the Console or API. This process creates a logical dump from the backup without utilizing DB system resources, thereby minimizing the impact on the […]

As we mark the milestone of MySQL’s 30-year anniversary, the celebrations around the globe have been a testament to the widespread impact and popularity of the Dolphin. This week’s annual preFOSDEM MySQL Belgian Days in Brussels are not only an opportunity to celebrate, but also a chance for Oracle to share some key updates on […]

As AI workloads become standard in modern applications, engineering teams face a familiar dilemma: MySQL is already the system of record, but vector search typically requires bolting on a separate database. That means two security models, two observability stacks, and inevitable data consistency headaches.

A concept presented at Pre-FOSDEM 2026 by René Cannaò (ProxySQL founder) and Alkin Tezuysal (Altinity) proposes a cleaner path: keep everything in MySQL, but add vector capabilities through a plugin called MyVector, with ProxySQL serving as the unified …