Is MySQL Really Abandoned? Debunking the MySQL FUD with Real Development Insights

MySQL maintenance claim

Community discussions claim Oracle stopped developing MySQL because GitHub commit activity dropped after October 2025. This article examines the data behind that claim.

Actual development workflow

MySQL is developed in a private, closed‑source repository maintained by Oracle. The public GitHub repository ( https://github.com/mysql/mysql-server/) is only a mirror that receives periodic releases as large code packages. Incremental daily commits are not pushed to GitHub.

Absence of daily commits on GitHub does not indicate a lack of development.

Long quiet periods between official releases are expected.

When a new version is released, a bulk commit appears, creating the impression of a sudden activity spike.

Recent releases

Oracle released MySQL 9.6.0, 8.4.8 and 8.0.45 on 21 January 2026. These releases generated a new batch of commits on the GitHub mirror, disproving the “abandoned” narrative.

Interpretation of metrics

Commit‑activity graphs reflect the behavior of the public mirror, not the internal development cadence. Using such graphs alone can lead to false conclusions about project health. Understanding the underlying workflow is essential when evaluating open‑source projects.

References

Forum discussion: https://forums.percona.com/t/upstream-being-abandoned-will-percona-continue-to-maintain-mysql/40061

Otto Kekäläinen analysis: https://optimizedbyotto.com/post/reasons-to-stop-using-mysql/

MySQL public repository: https://github.com/mysql/mysql-server/

GitHub commit‑activity graph: https://github.com/mysql/mysql-server/graphs/commit-activity