MySQL 9.7: First Major LTS Since 8.4 Brings Enterprise Features to Community Edition
InfoQ, Sunday, May 10th, 2026
MySQL 9.7.0 LTS release brings enterprise features to the community edition with improved replication, Hypergraph optimizer, and security enhancements.
Oracle announced the general availability of MySQL 9.7.0, the first major LTS release since 8.4, consolidating innovations including improvements in replication observability, query optimization, and security features like dynamic data masking and OpenID authentication.
The release addresses community concerns about declining MySQL development activity by making several enterprise-only capabilities available in the Community Edition and introducing the Hypergraph optimizer for better query optimization.
Key operational enhancements for DBAs include flow-control monitoring, extended replication statistics, automatic cluster member management, and improved primary election during failover. Oracle emphasizes its commitment to tighter community feedback loops and collaborative roadmap development.
However, community members remain cautious, with some warning that the Hypergraph optimizer's improvements should be tested thoroughly rather than assumed to benefit all applications.