Frequently Asked Questions

Today, we are launching VillageSQL to close that gap by empowering the MySQL community and catalyzing innovation in the MySQL ecosystem. VillageSQL is focused on compatibility, community, and extensibility to make MySQL more versatile in the agentic AI era.

VillageSQL Server for MySQL is an open-source, fully-compatible, and extensible fork of MySQL. It introduces a robust extension framework that includes custom data types, custom indexes, and custom functions. We believe this extension framework will accelerate innovation in MySQL and allow developers building AI, agentic, and enterprise applications to choose MySQL without waiting for a central entity to build and release new features and functionality or pay for premium service tiers.

VillageSQL is fully MySQL-compatible but adds a powerful extension framework (similar to PostgreSQL but idiomatic to MySQL). You can install extensions to add AI capabilities, custom data types, advanced cryptographic functions, and more - all without modifying the core database. It's MySQL + extensions for the agentic AI era.

Yes, VillageSQL is completely free and open source. It's released under the GPL v2 license, the same license as MySQL. You can use it for any purpose, including commercial applications, without any licensing fees.

Yes! VillageSQL is drop-in MySQL-compatible, so you can migrate existing MySQL databases without changing your application code. Simply dump your MySQL data and import it into VillageSQL. All standard MySQL features, queries, and tools work as expected.

VillageSQL is based on MySQL 8.4, giving you access to all the latest MySQL features including improved performance, enhanced security, and modern SQL capabilities.

VillageSQL is currently in Alpha and can be installed via a quick-start script, Docker, or binary release. The fastest way to get started is with our installation script:

curl https://start.villagesql.com | sh

If you prefer using containers, you can also run VillageSQL with Docker:

docker run --rm -it -v "$(pwd):/workspace" -w /workspace villagesql/villagesql

For detailed instructions and other methods like Homebrew, visit our installation page.

Absolutely! VillageSQL is wire-compatible with MySQL, so all MySQL clients, drivers, and tools work seamlessly.

Extensions are packages that add new functionality to VillageSQL without modifying the core database. They can add custom data types, functions, operators, and more. Extensions are inspired by PostgreSQL's extension system but designed specifically for MySQL compatibility.

Installing extensions is simple. Download the extension package and use the CREATE EXTENSION command:

CREATE EXTENSION vsql_ai;

For detailed instructions, check the documentation for each specific extension.

We currently offer several official extensions:

• AI Extension - Call AI models and generate embeddings directly from SQL
• UUID Extension - Custom UUID type and generation functions
• Network Address Extension - IPv6 and MAC address types
• Crypto Extension - Advanced cryptographic hashing functions

More extensions are in development, and you can build your own!

Yes! VillageSQL provides a comprehensive SDK for building custom extensions. You can create extensions in C/C++ to add any functionality your application needs. Check our extension development guide to get started.

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We offer several support channels:

• Documentation - Comprehensive guides and references
• Discord - Real-time chat with the community and team
• GitHub Discussions - Ask questions and share ideas
• GitHub Issues - Report bugs

We welcome contributions! You can contribute by:

• Submitting bug reports and feature requests
• Contributing code through pull requests
• Building and sharing extensions
• Improving documentation
• Helping others in the community

Visit our GitHub repository to get started. Please see the CONTRIBUTING file in the Github repo. You will be required to sign a Contributor Licensing Agreement (CLA) but it only gives a license to your work for distribution. You get to keep your copyright.

If you discover a security vulnerability, please do not open a public issue. Instead, email us at security@villagesql.com with details. We take security seriously and will respond promptly to all reports.