- Oracle admitted it needed a new approach back in February
- Now the company has a new community-focused approach to MySQL
- Community roles and steering group will ensure maximum quality
Oracle’s VP of external standards and community engagement Heather VanCura has revealed in a blog post the company’s “next phase” of MySQL community engagement as it seeks to make the open source database project more transparent and collaborative.
The update comes after public criticism of Oracle’s management of the project, and the company has finally responded with new governance frameworks.
In February 2026, Community Manager Frederic Descamps admitted that the project was failing community members. Descamps promised a “decisive” and “renewed” approach.
Oracle announces “next phase” of MySQL
VanCura clearly acknowledged the role that community members have played in MySQL over the past three decades and referred to the need for visibility and deeper participation.
Under the new plans, contributors can participate through code submissions, bug testing, code reviews, technical discussions, and more. Experiences Contributors can become Committers and take on responsibilities such as maintaining code quality, and are set to be mentored by mentors and project managers.
“Trust is built through transparent processes, clear decision-making and meaningful opportunities for participation,” VanCura added.
Oracle also launched a new vulnerability group and a new technical steering group. AWS, Google Cloud and Oracle will have representatives on the committee, but the company also noted the need for “additional perspectives from users of MySQL.”
Percona co-founder Peter Zaitsev praised Oracle for its clear willingness to make changes (via The register): “This is a step in the right direction… Oracle has shown a desire to be more open to the community in terms of sharing and including the wider community in the decision-making process.”
Looking forward, VanCura promises to share metrics with the community, engage in more discussions, and maintain a high quality of contributions.
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