MariaDB 5.2.6, the latest version of the community-developed MySQL fork, has been released. The highlights of the release are mostly Windows-centric: 64-bit Windows packages, a new MSI installer to improve the installation process, simpler zip packaging, a new Windows-specific mysql_install_db.exe and a Windows upgrade wizard for upgrading MySQL instances to MariaDB.

Other changes include the merging of all the modifications from the MySQL 5.1 bazaar trunk which includes parts of MySQL 5.1.57 and 5.1.58, and incorporates XtraDB from Percona 5.1.56-12.7. Finally, the developers have now created packages for Ubuntu 11.04 for 32-bit and 64-bit installations of the "Natty Narwhal"; these are packaged as .deb files and are available from a MariaDB repository.

Source code and installation packages are available to download; release notes and a detailed change log are also available. MariaDB is licensed under the GPLv2.

(djwm)