MySQL

MySQL is Oracle's relational database, with a GPLv2 Community tree and a separate Enterprise / HeatWave cloud, not a leftover "social media giant" origin story. Rechecked 2026-08-18: github.com/mysql/mysql-server had 12,382 stars, homepage mysql.com. The repo LICENSE file for MySQL 26.7.0 Community says GPLv2 plus extra permissions, last updated June 2026. oracle.com/mysql sells MySQL HeatWave as a managed service on OCI, AWS, and Azure, with a Start for free / Free Tier path. oracle.com/cloud/price-list/#mysql lists HeatWave ECPU / storage / backup unit rows. We did not extract a clean dollar-per-hour from that HTML. Drop leftover copy that said MySQL was built by a social platform.

Compare PostgreSQL if you wanted a PostgreSQL-licensed 18.6 line, Supabase if you wanted hosted Postgres, and pgvector if you wanted vectors in SQL on Postgres.

Key Features

• Community vs Enterprise vs HeatWave: Community is GPLv2 source. Enterprise Edition is the commercial server. HeatWave is the managed cloud with analytics / GenAI / vector store on the Oracle page. Do not mash them into one free slogan.
• Not a Meta product: First-party pages are mysql.com and Oracle. The leftover "specialized social media giant" line is dropped.
• HeatWave has unit names, not a $20 seat: The OCI price list shows MySQL Database ECPU, storage, backup, HeatWave capacity, and a Free Tier row. Recheck that list before you invent a monthly dollar.
• mysql.com may block scrapers: We used GitHub LICENSE + oracle.com/mysql. Recheck mysql.com/products if you need the Enterprise brochure.

Use Cases

• People who will run Community GPLv2 on their own machines.
• Teams that will open the OCI HeatWave price list instead of assuming a $20 seat.
• People comparing MySQL 12,382 stars vs Postgres 21,814.

Limitation: We did not invent a Community dollar or an Enterprise list price. HeatWave dollars need the live Oracle calculator.

Pricing

GitHub LICENSE and oracle.com/cloud/price-list/#mysql on 2026-08-18.

If a leftover blog still sells a social-media origin story, treat this table as the source.

Getting Started

1. Open github.com/mysql/mysql-server or mysql.com.
2. Recheck oracle.com/mysql only if you want HeatWave.
3. Recheck PostgreSQL if you wanted PostgreSQL License 18.6.
4. Do not paste "social media giant" into a deck.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Community free?

Yes. GPLv2. You pay machines or a host.

Is HeatWave the same as Community?

No. HeatWave is Oracle's managed service, built on Enterprise Edition per the Oracle page.

Same as Postgres?

No. Postgres is PostgreSQL License with a live 18.6 line. MySQL Community is GPLv2 under Oracle.

Alternatives

• PostgreSQL: PostgreSQL License, current 18.6.
• Supabase: Hosted Postgres, not MySQL.
• Elasticsearch: Search/analytics engine, not a relational server.

Tips

1. Quote GPLv2 and 12,382 stars from the GitHub check.
2. Split Community, Enterprise, and HeatWave.
3. Recheck the OCI list before you invent a HeatWave seat.

Conclusion

MySQL is an Oracle-sponsored GPLv2 community server plus a HeatWave cloud with unit rows, not a leftover social-media origin story. Start at github.com/mysql/mysql-server or oracle.com/mysql, then decide whether PostgreSQL already covers the license you want.