User poll - do you find useful having multiple database major versions available?

Ask Fedora
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MariaDB, MySQL, PostgreSQL - we maintain several major version of each as versioned packages. On of the version in each Fedora release is marked as ‘distribution default‘, which provides the usual, unversioned, names.

Did you know?

  • Yes, I know
  • No, I just found out
0 voters

Do you see value in having multiple such versions available instead of just the default one?

  • Yes, I’m actively using an other-then-default version
  • Yes, I at least once used an other-then-default version
  • Yes, even though I haven’t used it yet
  • No
0 voters

We use this approach in RHEL, and we hope to provide some value to Fedora by doing the same here. You can choose to stay on older version when the distribution default change, or try out a newer version, when the distribution default is not it yet.

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(This probably needs more visibility if we’re to get users to poll too: should we move it to the Ask Fedora or Site Help & Feedback category that users frequent more than the Project Discussion one? Not sure..)

3

I like latest-and-greatest! (using MariaDB 12.3.1 atm)

If other DBs have their own repos, do they provide older versions? I expect latest-and-greatest with software on Fedora and would install the latest version out of habit.

I haven’t had problem with MariaDB various versions Linux, FreeBSD, and RCs on Windows with probably hundreds of backup/restores over years, and use 12.2.1 RC headers for compiling a game server today (I’m thinking MySQL general DB admin would be fine always-latest).

Not too sure about PostgreSQL, but I don’t really see value in older MariaDB or MySQL being available on newer Fedora (imo DB servers as upstream have more benefit to not release updates with breaking changes for their product, vs Fedora using resources to maintain older versions on a fast-moving distro)

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4

That would be great. Could some moderator do that?
Also pinning the topic for a week or two might help.

5

Maybe @jflory7 ? Pretty please :folded_hands: :slight_smile:

6

I think there is value, but, full disclosure, as mariadb is the db I usually run, I will build my own mariadb versions (including writing/updating spec files as needed) if the Fedora one lags more than I wish (so, to be honest, I am not the voter you are looking for).

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I moved the topic to the Ask Fedora category and edited the tags. I wouldn’t make a unilateral decision to pin it, though.

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Now that the post is in Ask Fedora, I think a temporary pin is okay… if I am wrong, someone tell me. I pinned the post in Ask Fedora until Saturday, 28 February 2026.

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