Test application queries and drivers against the specific MariaDB release before migrating an existing database. Define backup and recovery procedures, then validate them with a small restore. Review storage-engine choices and replication requirements explicitly, because compatibility with another database product is not a guarantee of identical behavior in every feature.
This is best suited to applications using a MySQL-family relational database. Before committing a larger project, account for these trade-offs: compatibility must be checked by version; backups and upgrades need operational ownership.
