MariaDB is an open source relational database administration system that is derived from MySQL. MariaDB was built by Michael “Monty” Widenius, the original author of MySQL. It maintains compatibility with MySQL, and has additional unique features to improve performance and robustness. MariaDB’s precise development and its quality are rated quite highly by engineers all over the world, and the number of MariaDB downloads is currently growing so rapidly. Google, a leading search engine, has adopted it, and Linux distributions such as Fedora (since version 19) and Red Hat Enterprise Linux (since version 7) have switched to MariaDB from MySQL as well.

In response to such worldwide trends, Heartcore, Inc., a leading MariaDB Advanced partner, provides support services including consulting services to Japanese companies that are thinking of starting to use MariaDB.

MariaDB is named after Monty's younger daughter "Maria", similar to how MySQL is named after his older daughter "My".

Monty, the original developer of MySQL and one of the founders of MySQL AB, formed Monty Program Ab in 2010 and forked MySQL into MariaDB. With his community-driven policy, in 2012 he moved the ownership and development base of MariaDB to a non-profit body named MariaDB Foundation. Later, in 2013, Monty ProgramAb agreed to a merger with SkySQL (whose name changed to MariaDB Corporation on October 1st, 2014), the members of which were also from MySQL AB. Currently, as an expert company, MariaDB Corporation provides its subscription sales and related services. Heartcore, Inc. is a partner of MariaDB Corporation for the Asian Pacific Ocean area, including Japan.