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Antihost offers managed WordPress hosting with free migration, one-click staging and a 14-day free trial.
For a new WordPress installation, use MySQL 8.0 or newer or MariaDB 10.11 or newer. WordPress.org also recommends PHP 8.3 or newer, HTTPS, and a web server (Apache with mod_rewrite or Nginx) configured for WordPress. Older installations may still run on MySQL 5.5.5 or newer, but those legacy versions are past official end of life and can leave a site exposed to security vulnerabilities.
This guide explains which database servers WordPress supports, how to verify a host’s version, what conflicting requirement numbers mean, and what to do when an existing site is below the recommended baseline.
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Current WordPress database requirement
The current requirements published by WordPress.org set the recommended database baseline at:
| Database server | Recommended version for a new site | WordPress status |
|---|---|---|
| MySQL | 8.0 or greater | Recommended baseline |
| MariaDB | 10.11 or greater | Recommended baseline |
These are minimum recommendations, not a complete compatibility matrix for every WordPress release and every database patch. A provider should identify the exact product and version it will run, rather than simply saying that its database is “modern” or “compatible.”
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WordPress’s installation FAQ identifies MySQL and MariaDB as its supported database servers. It says that other database engines, including PostgreSQL and SQLite, are not supported at present. A server can offer several database products, but only the supported products satisfy WordPress’s stated database requirement.
What the database does in a WordPress site
WordPress stores posts, pages, users, settings, comments, plugin data, theme options, and many other records in a relational database. PHP executes WordPress code and sends queries to that database; the web server handles HTTP requests and rewrites; HTTPS protects connections. A database version is therefore one part of a stack, not an isolated switch.
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MySQL and MariaDB: what is supported
MySQL
MySQL 8.0 or newer is the current recommended MySQL baseline. Ask the host whether the account uses Oracle MySQL, which exact major and minor release is installed, and whether the version can be changed without moving the site to another plan or server.
MariaDB
MariaDB 10.11 or newer is the current recommended MariaDB baseline. MariaDB is a separate database product, even though WordPress supports it as an alternative to MySQL. Confirm the product name instead of assuming that a label such as “MySQL-compatible” means the host is running a supported MariaDB release.
Other database engines
The WordPress installation FAQ currently lists neither PostgreSQL nor SQLite as supported database engines. A translation layer, compatibility plugin, or hosting claim does not change the official support statement. If a host offers only one of those engines, it is not a standard WordPress database environment.
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WordPress.org’s requirements page states that WordPress will still run on PHP 7.4 or newer and MySQL 5.5.5 or newer in legacy environments. The same page warns that those older versions have reached official end of life and may expose a site to security vulnerabilities.
Treat that statement as a compatibility fallback for an existing system, not as a target for a new installation. A site can load successfully while its database, PHP runtime, operating system, or plugins are no longer receiving security fixes. Staying on an old release also makes emergency migration harder because the destination host may no longer provide an equivalently old stack.
- New site: choose the current database baseline rather than deploying on a legacy release.
- Existing site: document the current versions, test an upgrade or migration on a staging copy, and schedule the change instead of assuming that continued operation means continued safety.
- Temporary exception: if an application cannot yet move, restrict administrative access, maintain tested backups, and treat the old stack as a remediation item.
Why you may see different requirement numbers
WordPress documentation does not show one universal number on every page. The current requirements page recommends MySQL 8.0 or newer or MariaDB 10.11 or newer. A separate WordPress Developer Resources page titled “Before You Install,” last updated December 17, 2025, lists PHP 7.4 or greater, MySQL 5.7 or MariaDB 10.3 or greater, and HTTPS.
Those pages state different thresholds. Do not treat the older handbook figures as interchangeable with the current requirements-page baseline, and do not infer a policy explanation that the published pages do not provide. When choosing a host today, use the current requirements page’s higher database thresholds; use the handbook figures only to understand why an older tutorial or control panel may display different numbers.
Neither page supplies a full, release-by-release matrix showing every WordPress version against every MySQL and MariaDB version. For a precise deployment decision, check the documentation for the specific WordPress release and the provider’s actual server specification.
WordPress’s other recommended stack requirements
A database that passes the version check can still be paired with an unsuitable PHP or web-server configuration. The current requirements page recommends:
| Component | What to verify with the host | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| PHP | PHP 8.3 or newer | WordPress executes through PHP; the runtime must also support the plugins and themes you plan to use. |
| Database | MySQL 8.0+ or MariaDB 10.11+ | Stores WordPress content and configuration. |
| Web server | Apache with mod_rewrite or Nginx |
Provides HTTP handling and, where applicable, permalink rewriting. |
| Transport security | HTTPS enabled for the domain | Protects logins, administration, and data in transit. |
PHP 8.3 and HTTPS are recommendations on the same current page, not substitutes for the database requirement. A host that advertises a qualifying database but cannot provide the rest of the stack may still be a poor fit.
How to check a host before you sign up
Do not rely on a plan name, a software installer icon, or a generic “WordPress hosting” label. Request the values in writing.
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- Ask which database product is provided: MySQL or MariaDB.
- Ask for the exact server version, including the major and minor number (for example, the complete output of the provider’s version command).
- Ask which PHP versions are available and whether PHP 8.3 or newer can be selected for your domain.
- Confirm HTTPS certificate support and renewal, and whether the web server is Apache with
mod_rewriteor Nginx. - Ask whether you can create a database and user, import an existing dump, schedule backups, and restore a backup without provider intervention.
- Ask whether database upgrades are in-place, whether they require a migration to another node, and how much notice the provider gives for end-of-life software.
You can adapt the wording used by WordPress.org when contacting a host: explain that you want to run the open-source WordPress web software and request PHP 8.3 or greater, MariaDB 10.11 or greater or MySQL 8.0 or greater, Nginx or Apache with mod_rewrite, and HTTPS. Keep the version numbers in that request; replacing them with “latest available” makes the answer difficult to verify.
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How to verify the version on an existing server
Using a hosting panel or phpMyAdmin
Look for a database or server-information page in the hosting panel. If phpMyAdmin is installed, its home screen normally displays the connected database server’s version. phpMyAdmin is an optional web-based administration tool for MySQL and MariaDB; WordPress does not require phpMyAdmin to run.
Using SQL
If the host gives you a SQL console, run:
SELECT VERSION();The returned string identifies the server version. Save the complete result, because a vendor suffix can distinguish MariaDB from MySQL and a distribution build may include additional labels.
Using a shell
On a server where command-line access is permitted, these commands report the client or server installation exposed by that account:
mysql --version
mariadb --versionA command-line client version is useful evidence, but it is not always proof of the remote database server’s version. Prefer the SQL result or the hosting provider’s server specification when the client connects to a separate database host.
Checking from WordPress
WordPress health and hosting-information screens can reveal parts of the PHP and database environment, depending on the WordPress version and the permissions available to the site. Treat that display as a diagnostic aid and confirm the authoritative value with the host when it is missing or ambiguous.
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What to do when the version is below the recommendation
If you are choosing a new host
Choose a plan that explicitly provides the current baseline. Do not build a new production site on an old database merely because an installer allows it. If the host cannot state its MySQL or MariaDB release, consider that an unresolved compatibility risk.
If you already operate the site
- Record the WordPress version, PHP version, database product and version, active plugins, theme, scheduled jobs, and backup locations.
- Create and test a recent backup of both the database and the WordPress files. A backup that has never been restored is not a verified recovery plan.
- Clone the site to staging or a temporary account and test the database upgrade or host migration there first.
- Update WordPress, plugins, and themes according to their documented compatibility guidance before the production move, while keeping a rollback copy.
- Move during a maintenance window, verify logins, permalinks, media, forms, cron tasks, search, and checkout flows, then monitor error logs.
- Retain the old environment until the new site has passed functional checks and the backup restoration path is confirmed.
Ask the provider whether it performs the database upgrade for you or whether you must export and import the site. The operational steps, downtime, and rollback method depend on the host’s architecture; the version requirement alone does not determine them.
If an upgrade is blocked
Find out whether the limitation comes from the host plan, an operating-system package, a managed-service policy, or an application dependency. A provider may be able to move the account to a newer node without changing the domain. If not, plan a controlled migration rather than repeatedly postponing an end-of-life upgrade.
Common mistakes and their fixes
- Confusing PHP and database versions: PHP 8.3 is a runtime recommendation; it does not satisfy a MySQL or MariaDB requirement. Check both independently.
- Reading “MySQL-compatible” as a product guarantee: obtain the exact product name and version. Compatibility wording alone is not a WordPress support statement.
- Using an old tutorial’s numbers: compare its publication date and source. The December 17, 2025 handbook figures differ from the current requirements-page baseline.
- Assuming a newer number guarantees every plugin: the official pages do not publish a complete version-by-version test matrix. Check the release notes for your WordPress, plugin, and theme combination.
- Installing phpMyAdmin as if it were mandatory: it is an optional administration interface, not a runtime prerequisite.
- Ignoring HTTPS and rewrite support: a qualifying database cannot compensate for missing transport security or a web server that cannot provide the site’s required URL handling.
Bottom line for host selection
For a new WordPress site in 2026, require MariaDB 10.11 or newer or MySQL 8.0 or newer, then verify PHP 8.3 or newer, HTTPS, and a compatible Apache or Nginx configuration. MySQL and MariaDB are the database products WordPress currently identifies as supported; PostgreSQL and SQLite are not listed as supported at present. Older MySQL versions may keep an existing site running, but their end-of-life status makes them a migration priority rather than a sensible target.
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