MariaDB 10.4 Minor Version Review: New Features and Bug Fixes

2024-09-05

SELECT VERSION();

This simple query retrieves the current version of the MariaDB server you're connected to.

Upgrading to MariaDB 10.4 (Not recommended to run directly):

Important: Upgrading a database server should be done with caution and proper backups in place. This example is for demonstration purposes only, consult the official MariaDB documentation for recommended upgrade procedures.

# This is a simplified example and might not be the exact command for your system
UPDATE mysql.user SET password = PASSWORD('your_strong_password') WHERE User = 'root';
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;

# Replace 'path/to/upgrade_script' with the actual upgrade script location
!path/to/upgrade_script mysql 10.4;

This code snippet showcases a theoretical upgrade process:

It first updates the root user password (replace 'your_strong_password' with an actual strong password).
Then, it flushes privileges to make the password change take effect.
Finally, it executes an upgrade script (replace 'path/to/upgrade_script' with the actual script location) to upgrade the server to MariaDB 10.4.

Utilizing a new feature in MariaDB 10.4 (assuming a new feature exists):

Let's say a hypothetical new feature in MariaDB 10.4 allows filtering table results based on JSON data. Here's an example:

SELECT * FROM users WHERE JSON_CONTAINS(data, '{"age": 25}');

This would retrieve all rows from the 'users' table where the 'data' column (assumed to be a JSON field) contains the key 'age' with a value of 25.

This is the most common and recommended method for most Linux distributions. The specific commands will vary depending on your distro, but here's a general idea:

Debian/Ubuntu:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade mariadb-server

RedHat/CentOS/Fedora:
```
sudo yum update mariadb-server
```
OpenSUSE/SLES:
```
sudo zypper update mariadb
```

These commands update the system's package list and then upgrade the mariadb-server package (or equivalent) to the latest version available in the official repositories, which might be MariaDB 10.4 or a newer minor version.

Compiling from Source:

This method offers more control over the installation process but requires more technical expertise. You can download the MariaDB 10.4 source code from and compile it on your system. However, this approach is generally not recommended for production environments due to the complexity involved.

Using a Third-Party Repository:

Some repositories offer bleeding-edge versions of software, including MariaDB. However, using these repositories can be risky as they might not be as well-tested or supported as the official ones. Proceed with caution if you choose this route.

Upgrading via a Control Panel:

If you're using a control panel like cPanel or Plesk for managing your server, it might have built-in functionality for upgrading MariaDB. Consult your control panel's documentation for specific instructions.

Important Considerations:

Backups: Always create a full backup of your database before any upgrade process.
Compatibility: Ensure your applications are compatible with MariaDB 10.4 before upgrading.
Testing: After upgrading, thoroughly test your applications to ensure everything functions as expected.

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