# MariaDB 12.1 Changes & Improvements {% hint style="info" %}

The most recent release of MariaDB 12.1 is:

MariaDB 12.1.2 GA Download Now

Alternate download from mariadb.org

{% endhint %} MariaDB 12.1 is a [rolling release](https://mariadb.com/docs/release-notes/community-server/about/release-model). It is an evolution of [MariaDB 12.0](https://mariadb.com/docs/release-notes/community-server/old-releases/12.0/what-is-mariadb-120) with several entirely new features. ## New Features ### Performance improvements * Segmented key cache for [Aria storage engine](https://app.gitbook.com/s/SsmexDFPv2xG2OTyO5yV/server-usage/storage-engines/aria) ([MDEV-24](https://jira.mariadb.org/browse/MDEV-24)) * The new [aria\_pagecache\_segments](https://app.gitbook.com/s/SsmexDFPv2xG2OTyO5yV/server-usage/storage-engines/aria/aria-system-variables#aria_pagecache_segments) system variable defines how many segments are used, default is `1`, maximum `128` * MDL scalability improvements ([MDEV-19749](https://jira.mariadb.org/browse/MDEV-19749)) * Asynchronous replication between two [Galera Clusters](https://app.gitbook.com/o/diTpXxF5WsbHqTReoBsS/s/3VYeeVGUV4AMqrA3zwy7/) can now use parallel replication * This is managed by the [slave\_parallel\_threads](https://app.gitbook.com/s/3VYeeVGUV4AMqrA3zwy7/high-availability/using-mariadb-replication-with-mariadb-galera-cluster/using-mariadb-replication-with-mariadb-galera-cluster-using-mariadb-replica#parallel-replication-support) system variable ([MDEV-20065](https://jira.mariadb.org/browse/MDEV-20065)) * The [audit plugin](https://app.gitbook.com/s/SsmexDFPv2xG2OTyO5yV/reference/plugins/mariadb-audit-plugin) now supports buffered logging * The size of the buffer is defined using the new system variable [server\_audit\_file\_buffer\_size](https://app.gitbook.com/s/SsmexDFPv2xG2OTyO5yV/reference/plugins/mariadb-audit-plugin/mariadb-audit-plugin-options-and-system-variables#server_audit_file_buffer_size) ([MDEV-34680](https://jira.mariadb.org/browse/MDEV-34680)) * Faster [vector](https://app.gitbook.com/s/SsmexDFPv2xG2OTyO5yV/reference/sql-structure/vectors) distance calculations via extrapolation ([MDEV-36205](https://jira.mariadb.org/browse/MDEV-36205)) ### Compatibility features * New authentication plugin [caching\_sha2\_password](https://app.gitbook.com/s/SsmexDFPv2xG2OTyO5yV/reference/clientserver-protocol/1-connecting/caching_sha2_password-authentication-plugin) for MySQL compatibility ([MDEV-9804](https://jira.mariadb.org/browse/MDEV-9804)) * [( + ) for outer join syntax in Oracle mode](https://app.gitbook.com/s/SsmexDFPv2xG2OTyO5yV/reference/sql-statements/data-manipulation/selecting-data/joins/join-syntax#oracle-mode) ([MDEV-13817](https://jira.mariadb.org/browse/MDEV-13817)) * Associative arrays: DECLARE TYPE .. TABLE OF .. INDEX BY ([MDEV-34319](https://jira.mariadb.org/browse/MDEV-34319)) ([blog post](https://mariadb.org/bringing-oracles-associative-arrays-to-mariadb/)) * [DROP USER](https://app.gitbook.com/s/SsmexDFPv2xG2OTyO5yV/reference/sql-statements/account-management-sql-statements/drop-user) will now by default issue a warning if the user has active sessions, or fail in [Oracle mode](https://mariadb.com/docs/release-notes/community-server/about/compatibility-and-differences/sql_modeoracle) ([MDEV-35617](https://jira.mariadb.org/browse/MDEV-35617)) ### Optimizer * Optimizations for GROUP/ORDER BY can make use of indexes on virtual columns ([MDEV-36132](https://jira.mariadb.org/browse/MDEV-36132)) * Include definitions of tables and views in the [optimizer trace](https://app.gitbook.com/s/WCInJQ9cmGjq1lsTG91E/development-articles/mariadb-internals/mariadb-internals-documentation-query-optimizer/mariadb-internals-documentation-optimizer-trace) ([MDEV-36483](https://jira.mariadb.org/browse/MDEV-36483)) * [optimizer\_record\_context](https://app.gitbook.com/s/SsmexDFPv2xG2OTyO5yV/server-management/variables-and-modes/server-system-variables#optimizer_record_context) system variable. #### Optimizer hints * [Optimizer hints](https://app.gitbook.com/s/SsmexDFPv2xG2OTyO5yV/ha-and-performance/optimization-and-tuning/optimizer-hints): [\[NO\_\]JOIN\_INDEX](https://app.gitbook.com/s/SsmexDFPv2xG2OTyO5yV/ha-and-performance/optimization-and-tuning/optimizer-hints#join_index-and-no_join_index), [\[NO\_\]GROUP\_INDEX](https://app.gitbook.com/s/SsmexDFPv2xG2OTyO5yV/ha-and-performance/optimization-and-tuning/optimizer-hints#group_index-and-no_group_index), [\[NO\_\]ORDER\_INDEX](https://app.gitbook.com/s/SsmexDFPv2xG2OTyO5yV/ha-and-performance/optimization-and-tuning/optimizer-hints#order_index-and-no_order_index), [\[NO\_\]INDEX](https://app.gitbook.com/s/SsmexDFPv2xG2OTyO5yV/ha-and-performance/optimization-and-tuning/optimizer-hints#index-and-no_index) ([MDEV-35856](https://jira.mariadb.org/browse/MDEV-35856)) * [Optimizer hints](https://app.gitbook.com/s/SsmexDFPv2xG2OTyO5yV/ha-and-performance/optimization-and-tuning/optimizer-hints): [\[NO\_\]SPLIT\_MATERIALIZED](https://app.gitbook.com/s/SsmexDFPv2xG2OTyO5yV/ha-and-performance/optimization-and-tuning/optimizer-hints#split_materialized-x-and-no_split_materialized-x) ([MDEV-36092](https://jira.mariadb.org/browse/MDEV-36092)) * [Optimizer hints](https://app.gitbook.com/s/SsmexDFPv2xG2OTyO5yV/ha-and-performance/optimization-and-tuning/optimizer-hints): [\[NO\_\]DERIVED\_CONDITION\_PUSHDOWN](https://app.gitbook.com/s/SsmexDFPv2xG2OTyO5yV/ha-and-performance/optimization-and-tuning/optimizer-hints#derived_condition_pushdown-and-no_derived_condition_pushdown), [\[NO\_\]MERGE ](https://app.gitbook.com/s/SsmexDFPv2xG2OTyO5yV/ha-and-performance/optimization-and-tuning/optimizer-hints#merge-and-no_merge)([MDEV-36106](https://jira.mariadb.org/browse/MDEV-36106)) ### Miscellaneous * Retry applying of write sets on [Galera](https://app.gitbook.com/o/diTpXxF5WsbHqTReoBsS/s/3VYeeVGUV4AMqrA3zwy7/) nodes ([MDEV-36077](https://jira.mariadb.org/browse/MDEV-36077)) * Controlled through the [wsrep\_applier\_retry\_count](https://app.gitbook.com/s/3VYeeVGUV4AMqrA3zwy7/reference/galera-cluster-system-variables#wsrep_applier_retry_count) system variable * [mariadb-dump](https://app.gitbook.com/s/SsmexDFPv2xG2OTyO5yV/clients-and-utilities/backup-restore-and-import-clients/mariadb-dump) now supports [wildcards](https://app.gitbook.com/s/SsmexDFPv2xG2OTyO5yV/clients-and-utilities/backup-restore-and-import-clients/mariadb-dump#l-wildcards) with the `-L` or `--wildcards` option ([MDEV-21376](https://jira.mariadb.org/browse/MDEV-21376)) * [Foreign key](https://app.gitbook.com/s/SsmexDFPv2xG2OTyO5yV/ha-and-performance/optimization-and-tuning/optimization-and-indexes/foreign-keys) constraint names no longer need to be unique per database, only per table ([MDEV-28933](https://jira.mariadb.org/browse/MDEV-28933)) ([blog post](https://mariadb.org/per-table-unique-foreign-key-constraint-names-new-feature-in-mariadb-12-1/)) ### Development release only This feature was only available in the 12.1 development releases, and will be implemented in a later series. * Add [semisynchronous replication](https://app.gitbook.com/s/SsmexDFPv2xG2OTyO5yV/ha-and-performance/standard-replication/semisynchronous-replication) variable, [rpl\_semi\_sync\_master\_wait\_for\_slave\_count](https://app.gitbook.com/s/SsmexDFPv2xG2OTyO5yV/ha-and-performance/standard-replication/semisynchronous-replication#rpl_semi_sync_master_wait_for_slave_count) ([MDEV-18983](https://jira.mariadb.org/browse/MDEV-18983)) ### Security Vulnerabilities Fixed in MariaDB 12.1 For a complete list of security vulnerabilities (CVEs) fixed across all versions of MariaDB, see the [Security Vulnerabilities Fixed in MariaDB](https://app.gitbook.com/s/SsmexDFPv2xG2OTyO5yV/security/cve) page. * [CVE-2026-21968](https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2026-21968): [MariaDB 12.1.2](https://mariadb.com/docs/release-notes/community-server/old-releases/12.1/12.1.2) ## List of All MariaDB 12.1 Releases | Date | Release | Status | Release Notes | Changelog | | ------------ | -------------- | ------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | 18 Nov 2025 | MariaDB 12.1.2 | GA | [Release Notes](https://mariadb.com/docs/release-notes/community-server/old-releases/12.1/12.1.2) | [Changelog](https://mariadb.com/docs/release-notes/community-server/changelogs/12.1/12.1.2) | | 7 Aug 2025 | MariaDB 12.1.1 | RC | [Release Notes](https://mariadb.com/docs/release-notes/community-server/old-releases/12.1/12.1.1) | [Changelog](https://mariadb.com/docs/release-notes/community-server/changelogs/12.1/12.1.1) | | 26 June 2025 | MariaDB 12.1.0 | Preview | | | *** *This page is licensed: CC BY-SA / Gnu FDL* {% @marketo/form formid="4316" formId="4316" %}