September 18, 2025 – Last week, a report from The Register sent shockwaves through the tech world, revealing that Oracle had carried out a significant round of layoffs within its core MySQL database development team, sparking concerns about the future of the widely – used software.
A well – placed senior source within the MySQL community disclosed that around 70 members of the MySQL database team were let go in Oracle’s latest downsizing. This move has left many in the industry worried about the trajectory of the database.
Michael “Monty” Widenius, one of the original co – developers of the original MySQL, expressed his distress in a statement. “I was heartbroken to hear about the massive layoffs at MySQL last week. While I’m not surprised by Oracle’s actions, it’s still sad to see it reach this point,” he said.
MySQL is a globally popular database software. It was initially owned by the Swedish company MySQL AB until 2008 when it was acquired by Sun Microsystems. Then, in 2009, Oracle took over Sun, and as a result, the MySQL team became part of Oracle.
Community insiders informed The Register that Oracle’s MySQL team has now been incorporated into the Heatwave department, which focuses on a proprietary analytical database service. At the same time, Oracle is reallocating its resources towards artificial intelligence.
Peter Zaitsev, co – founder of Percona, an open – source database consulting firm, shared his thoughts in a post. “It seems that several highly experienced and talented employees from Oracle’s MySQL team have been laid off. I have deep sympathy for those affected. But I also can’t help wondering if this is a major step by Oracle towards phasing out the MySQL community edition,” he remarked.
