Oracle has proposed a more transparent approach to developing its open source database MySQL, including new features supporting vectors. The announcement on 10 March marks a pivot from years of developer frustration with the database giant's stewardship of software that still powers much of the internet's infrastructure.
Oracle is now prioritising for developers features including AI and cloud alignment such as vector functions, developer experience improvements, performance enhancements like scaling and observability, and ecosystem tools and connectors. MySQL 9.7 LTS, expected in April 2026, will include vector functions in the community edition, the Hypergraph optimizer enabled by default, and PGO-optimised binaries.
The move reads as a response to months of mounting pressure. A January meeting in San Francisco discussed job losses at Oracle's MySQL core development team, with database founding developer Michael "Monty" Widenius saying he was "heartbroken" on hearing the news, and a dramatic fall in the number of commits to the project raised concerns it is reaching a critical crossroads.
The governance question
Last month, a group of influential users and developers invited Oracle to join plans to create an independent foundation to guide development of MySQL. The open letter to Oracle inviting it to take part in plans to create an independent foundation has attracted around 100 signatures. The effort reflects deeper concerns about control; security-related bugs are now publicly tracked, "leaving users unable to verify whether known issues affect them," and it is difficult for the user community to contribute code, with the process being opaque and frustrating.
MySQL has been declining in popularity and market share, with PostgreSQL becoming a default choice for newer projects and younger developers due to PostgreSQL's active community, rich feature set and extensions, and strong brand momentum. For Oracle to retain developer interest and financial viability, treating MySQL as a genuine priority rather than a legacy asset is now essential.
Oracle's proposed approach has attracted cautious interest. The development group is understood to be "positive on what was shared, but looking for more concrete information on timescales." The community set a deadline of the end of March for Oracle's decision, and if the company provides no signal of meaningful commitment, the group may move ahead without the vendor due to "the risk of falling into irrelevance is getting greater every quarter."
What independence would mean
The proposed foundation models offer Oracle taking the lead whilst keeping control of MySQL's direction and vision while distributing day-to-day work to maintainers, or the industry establishing the foundation with Oracle participating as a principal board member and strategic partner. A third option involves fully autonomous community governance with Oracle as an external stakeholder.
Oracle has committed to greater transparency, answering complaints that it simply dumped new code without discussion, and will publish the development roadmap and facilitate contributions from the community including worklogs and bug reports. Yet some observers remain sceptical. Vadim Tkachenko said the Oracle MySQL team is "in chaos right now" and that Oracle has not appointed a vice president to head up MySQL development.
The stakes extend beyond MySQL itself. For Australia's technology sector and the broader software ecosystem, database governance matters. Open infrastructure that operates with real transparency and community input creates stronger foundations for innovation than closed corporate control, whatever the company's stated intentions. More detail is likely to follow before the end of the month.