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Databases · head to head

MariaDB vs Apache Spark MLlib

MariaDB logo

MariaDB

Databases

The open source relational database for the enterprise

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Apache Spark MLlib logo

Apache Spark MLlib

Machine Learning

Scalable machine learning on Apache Spark

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: MariaDB jSON support using text fields rather than native binary type; lacks MySQL's JSON syntax and functions; Apache Spark MLlib apache Spark MLlib is Apache 2.0 licensed and free with no paid tier from the Apache project itself; SLA-backed support has to be sourced from a third party such as a managed Spark vendor rather than from Apache.
  • They diverge on capability: MariaDB covers MySQL Compatibility, Apache Spark MLlib covers Classification.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which MariaDB and Apache Spark MLlib actually diverge.

Attributes where MariaDB and Apache Spark MLlib differ
AttributeMariaDBApache Spark MLlib
Pricing modelUnknownopen-source
PlatformsLinux, Unix, Windows, macOSLinux, macOS, Windows
CategoryDatabasesMachine Learning
Founded20091999

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in MariaDB

  • MySQL Compatibility
  • Aria Storage Engine
  • ColumnStore
  • Galera Cluster
  • MaxScale
  • Spider Engine
  • Temporal Tables
  • phpMyAdmin

Only in Apache Spark MLlib

  • Classification
  • Regression
  • Clustering
  • Collaborative filtering
  • Feature engineering
  • Apache Spark
  • Hadoop
  • Kafka

Both cover

  • Linux support
  • Windows support
  • Mac support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

MariaDB

  • Transaction processingnot Apache Spark MLlib
  • Data storagenot Apache Spark MLlib
  • Application backendnot Apache Spark MLlib
  • Reportingnot Apache Spark MLlib
  • Data analyticsnot Apache Spark MLlib

Apache Spark MLlib

  • Machine learningnot MariaDB
  • Data sciencenot MariaDB
  • Distributed computingnot MariaDB

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

MariaDB

  • JSON support using text fields rather than native binary type; lacks MySQL's JSON syntax and functions
  • Galera Cluster maximum performance limited to the slowest node in cluster
  • InnoDB tables limited to 1,017 columns and 64 secondary indexes
  • Transaction size limits in Galera (128K rows and 2GB by default)
  • Less strict SQL type checking than PostgreSQL; allows implicit conversions

Apache Spark MLlib

  • Apache Spark MLlib is Apache 2.0 licensed and free with no paid tier from the Apache project itself; SLA-backed support has to be sourced from a third party such as a managed Spark vendor rather than from Apache.

Pricing, plan by plan

MariaDB

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the MariaDB review.

Apache Spark MLlib

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Apache Spark MLlib review.

Which should you pick?

Choose MariaDB if

  • You need mysql compatibility.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Unix, Windows, macOS.
  • You also want aria storage engine.
MariaDB review

Choose Apache Spark MLlib if

  • You need classification.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, macOS, Windows.
  • You also want regression.
Apache Spark MLlib review

Questions people ask

Is MariaDB or Apache Spark MLlib better?
Neither clearly leads. MariaDB starts at Free and Apache Spark MLlib at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, MariaDB or Apache Spark MLlib?
MariaDB starts at Free and Apache Spark MLlib at Free.
Does MariaDB or Apache Spark MLlib run on more platforms?
MariaDB runs on Linux, Unix, Windows, macOS. Apache Spark MLlib runs on Linux, macOS, Windows.
Can I use MariaDB for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is MariaDB best used for?
MariaDB is most often used for transaction processing, data storage, application backend, reporting. Of those, transaction processing and data storage are not what Apache Spark MLlib is typically brought in for.
What can MariaDB do that Apache Spark MLlib cannot?
MariaDB covers MySQL Compatibility, Aria Storage Engine, ColumnStore, Galera Cluster. Apache Spark MLlib covers Classification, Regression, Clustering, Collaborative filtering. Both handle Linux support, Windows support, Mac support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

MariaDB: Is MariaDB completely free and open source?

Yes. MariaDB Server is licensed under GPLv2 and guaranteed to remain perpetually free and open source, independent of any commercial entities.

Source
Apache Spark MLlib: How much does Apache Spark MLlib cost?

MLlib is completely free and open source, licensed under the Apache License Version 2.0. There are no subscription, licensing, or usage fees.

Source
MariaDB: Is MariaDB backward compatible with MySQL?

Yes. MariaDB was designed as a drop-in replacement for MySQL. Every application, driver, and configuration that worked with MySQL works with MariaDB without code changes.

Source
Apache Spark MLlib: What licensing does MLlib use?

MLlib is licensed under Apache License Version 2.0, making it freely available for all users regardless of organization size or use case.

Source
MariaDB: What are the storage engine options in MariaDB?

MariaDB supports multiple storage engines including InnoDB (transactional, default), Aria (crash-safe, good for read-heavy workloads), and MyISAM. The Aria engine is faster than InnoDB for certain read-heavy queries and full table scans.

Source
Apache Spark MLlib: How do I use MLlib?

MLlib is built into Apache Spark. Download Spark, which includes MLlib as a module, and deploy on your choice of infrastructure including Hadoop, Mesos, Kubernetes, standalone, or cloud.

Source
MariaDB: How much does MariaDB cost?

MariaDB Community Server is completely free to download and use. MariaDB offers paid enterprise support and managed cloud services for organizations needing professional support.

Source
MariaDB: Does MariaDB support native JSON storage?

MariaDB stores JSON using text fields (the JSON type is an alias for LONGTEXT), not as a native binary type like MySQL does. JSON support exists but is less sophisticated than MySQL's JSON functions and syntax.

Source
MariaDB: What scaling options does MariaDB provide?

MariaDB supports both scaling up (more cores, memory, storage) and scaling out (read replication, Galera Cluster with multi-node replication). However, Galera Cluster performance cannot exceed the slowest node in the cluster.

Source
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