MariaDB launches Enterprise Platform 2026. With built-in RAG pipelines and AI agents, MariaDB aims to help developers build agentic applications faster.
With MariaDB Exa, the platform introduces an analytical engine for multi-terabyte workloads. The engine is designed to perform complex analyses on operational data at speeds that, according to MariaDB, are more than 1,000 times faster than traditional OLTP engines.
MariaDB Exa is the result of a collaboration with Exasol. It enables organizations to gain immediate insights from growing operational datasets without moving data to separate systems.
The integration of transactional and analytics workloads into a single platform eliminates the complexity of data pipelines. This should shorten the path from raw transactional data to actionable business outcomes.
From vector search to complete AI integration
MariaDB brought vector search to its platform earlier this year. With the new release, the company is going one step further by fully integrating RAG functionality into the database. Developers no longer need to set up separate vector databases or retrieval pipelines.
The “RAG-in-a-Box” ensures that large language models are automatically provided with context from the MariaDB data. All steps for embedding, storing, and retrieving vector data are handled automatically. This should increase the development speed of GenAI applications.
According to the company, MariaDB AI RAG eliminates the need for separate embeddings and vector stores. The platform ensures that all necessary steps are consistently and optimally performed.
Embedded copilots for natural language queries
MariaDB Cloud gives users access to preconfigured AI agents. The developer copilot functions as a Text-to-SQL agent that converts natural-language questions into database queries. The DBA copilot focuses on management tasks, such as performance tuning and error debugging.
These copilots are directly linked to the MariaDB database. They respond to natural language queries with insights about the stored data. For DBAs, this should increase productivity by automating routine tasks.
In addition, the platform now supports Model Context Protocol (MCP) Servers. This allows AI agents to communicate seamlessly with MariaDB databases and other enterprise databases. They can launch serverless databases in the cloud and connect directly to MariaDB AI copilots.
Serverless for unpredictable AI workloads
MariaDB Cloud offers a serverless database option specifically for agentic applications. Chief Product Officer Vikas Mathur states that AI agents must be able to analyze and execute transactions in real time on a massive scale. “At the same time, agents need to be grounded in insights contained in enterprise data that is trapped in fragmented silos today.”
The serverless approach should offer elastic scalability, operational simplicity, and cost efficiency. Developers only pay for the resources they actually use. The platform automatically scales when agents process or execute tasks.
According to MariaDB, this distinguishes it from traditional, always-on setups that cannot handle the unpredictable spikes in activity caused by AI agents.
250 percent better performance
MariaDB Enterprise Server 11.8 achieves 250 percent better performance in initial benchmarks compared to release 10.6. The new version forms the core of Enterprise Platform 2026.
A new enterprise manager tool offers comprehensive observability and management for MariaDB databases. The tool features topology-aware monitoring and visual tools for query development and schema management, all from a single centralized interface.
The latest version of MariaDB MaxScale includes an improved database firewall. Administrators gain complete control over how users query data by defining and enforcing rules. This should significantly reduce the risk of security breaches.
Mathur emphasizes that MariaDB Enterprise Platform 2026 enables organizations to build the next wave of intelligent applications on a single database platform. “In combining transactional, analytical and AI workloads, we are enabling our customers to build the next wave of intelligent applications on a single database platform, shortening the path from raw transactional data to valuable business outcomes.”
The release is available immediately to all MariaDB users.
Tip: New MariaDB release makes database management smarter and more secure