If you want to create a new application, test it, and deploy it on the cloud, Oracle Cloud Infrastructure provides an always-free tier for compute instances and MySQL HeatWave instances (and more). If you are a developer, it can also be complicated to start deploying to the cloud, as you need to figure out the […]

In a recent post, The Quirks of Index Maintenance in Open Source Databases, I compared the IO load generated by open source databases while inserting rows in a table with many secondary indexes. Because of its change buffer, InnoDB was the most efficient solution. However, that’s not the end of the story. Evolution of the […]

“ Of course, in practice, no query optimizer is perfect and there will be edge cases where the way a query is written will impact its performance.”

Q1. What are your current responsibilities as Principal Member of Technical staff?

Kaan Kara : I am contributing as the tech lead for query execution in HeatWave. My main responsibility is implementing new features in HeatWave, maintaining its stability, and supporting our customers with their HeatWave-related use cases.

Q2. Let´s talk about improving database query execution time. The way a query is written has a massive impact on its performance, and developers often face hurdles in structuring them optimally. What is your take on this?

Kaan Kara : SQL is a declarative language. That means, in ideal terms, the database optimizer should produce the best …

Announcing Vitess 23.0.0 # We’re excited to release Vitess 23.0.0 — the latest major version of Vitess — bringing new defaults, better operational tooling, and refined metrics. This release builds on the strong foundation of version 22 and is designed to make deployment and observability smoother, while continuing to scale MySQL workloads horizontally with confidence. ✅ Why This Release Matters # For production users of Vitess, this release is meaningful in several ways:

Subtitle: Schema design, embedding workflows, hybrid search, and performance tradeoffs explained.

Quick Recap from Part 1

In Part 1, we introduced the MyVector plugin — a native extension that brings vector embeddings and HNSW-based approximate nearest neighbor (ANN) search into MySQL. We covered how MyVector supports scoped queries (e.g., WHERE user_id = X) to ensure that semantic search remains relevant, performant, and secure in real-world multi-tenant applications.

Now in Part 2, we move from concept to implementation:

• How to store and index embeddings
• How to design embedding workflows
• How hybrid (vector + keyword) search works
• How HNSW compares to brute-force search
…

Data masking lets you hide sensitive fields (emails, credit-card numbers, job titles, etc.) while keeping data realistic for reporting, support, or testing. It is particularly useful when you collaborate with external entities and need to share your data for development reasons. You also need to protect your data and keep your customers’ privacy safe. Last […]

On October 10th, 2025, we released MySQL 9.5, the latest Innovation Release. As usual, we released bug fixes for 8.0 and 8.4 LTS, but this post focuses on the newest release. In this release, we can see contributions related to Connector J and Connector Net, as well as to different server categories. Connector / J […]

On October 10th, 2025, we released MySQL 9.5, the latest Innovation Release. As usual, we released bug fixes for 8.0 and 8.4 LTS, but this post focuses on the newest release. In this release, we can see contributions related to Connector J and Connector Net, as well as to different server categories. Connector / J […]

Congratulations, library explorer! You’ve journeyed from empty shelves and head-scratching table structures to a bustling digital library, complete with secure doors and well-organized stacks. Now, as you place the final book in your collection, there’s one crucial skill left before you can truly claim the title of database master: keeping your hard-earned data safe for […]

If you’ve been following along on your MySQL library adventure, you now know how to build sturdy shelves (tables), fill them with treasured books (data), and ask clever questions (queries) to your database. But—plot twist!—there’s another important character in our story: security. After all, what good is your carefully cataloged collection if just anyone can […]