This page is obsolete. It is being retained for archival purposes. It may document extensions or features that are obsolete and/or no longer supported. Do not rely on the information here being up-to-date.
The Core Platform Team and its initiatives do not exist anymore. See MediaWiki Engineering Group instead since 2023.
To be able to install MediaWiki with a database backend other than those supported in core
To be able to develop additional database backends for MediaWiki and deliver them in extensions
Stakeholder(s):
Operators of MediaWiki installations that need to deploy to an environment where they must use a database other than those supported in core (for example, Microsoft SQL Server or Oracle)
Developers of alternative database functionality for MediaWiki who need an extension interface for their work.
Problem:
Support for Oracle and Microsoft SQL Server was removed from core in the summer of 2019.
This was done to reduce the maintenance burden in core, especially since it is not possible to run tests against these proprietary software systems.
This was a regression for those using MediaWiki with those databases and limits options for others who may want to deploy functionality of other alternative database systems.
Solution:
Develop an extension interface in core to allow alternative databases to be used with MediaWiki.
Support installing MediaWiki with a database that is provided by an extension.
Aligned Goals:
Code Health
Success Metrics:
Ensure that there is no degradation in performance caused by using a database provided through an extension.
Ensure that there is no degradation in performance caused by the extension interface code while using a database provided in core.
Develop at least one proof-of-concept database extension.
