In the MariaDB Foundation’s deep dive, Manoj Vakeel (who leads database migration at MariaDB) breaks down the architectural DNA of PostgreSQL and MariaDB with clarity and precision.
The discussion touches on MVCC housekeeping, including PostgreSQL’s vacuuming model versus MariaDB’s auto-purge strategy—critical for understanding how each handles transaction visibility and long-term performance.
Key takeaways from the video:
- PostgreSQL uses a process-based model, offering strong isolation but requiring external pooling for scale.
- MariaDB uses a threaded architecture, enabling efficient high-concurrency handling out of the box.
- MVCC strategies differ: PostgreSQL relies on VACUUM and freezing, while MariaDB uses auto-purge.
- Replication models diverge: PostgreSQL favors logical decoding and WAL shipping; MariaDB supports GTID and Galera Cluster for synchronous multi-master setups.
- Licensing and ecosystem support vary: PostgreSQL under BSD, MariaDB under GPL.
This video is a solid reference point for anyone benchmarking, migrating, or architecting open-source database systems.
If you’re modeling transaction ID behavior or MVCC visibility, it’s worth watching the full 53-minute session.
