db4free.net was born in 2005 (which makes it older than Twitter or Google Chrome) when MySQL 5.0 was in early development. 11 years went by but one thing always remained the same: the 5 in MySQL’s major version number. MySQL versions went from 5.0 to 5.1 to 5.5, 5.6 and recently to 5.7. There was always this 5.something.
While this 5 will stay around for a bit longer, it is not alone anymore.
Now there is a duplicate of the db4free.net website at
where you can create a database on a newly set up MySQL 8.0 server!
MySQL 8.0 is in very early development, the first Development Milestone Release (MySQL 8.0.0 DMR) has just been released on September, 12. It will take several months until there will be a final release.
db4free.net makes it easy to try new features early. The MySQL 8.0 Reference Manual is a good entry point, especially the section What Is New in MySQL 8.0.
While the MySQL 5.7 server keeps running unchanged, the new MySQL 8.0 server will run on port 3307. Make sure to address the correct server in your client. Maybe there is a separate field to set the port, or you may have to change the host name to db4free.net:3307. Of course you can also use phpMyAdmin at https://mysql8.db4free.net which will give you access to the MySQL 8.0 server (while phpMyadmin at https://www.db4free.net will still connect you to the MySQL 5.7 server).
Speaking of clients, please keep in mind that clients may not be fully ready for MySQL 8.0 yet and there may be a problem here and there. This is part of testing a new version in early development.
The mysql8.db4free.net website with black-orange header is mostly a duplicate of the www.db4free.net website with black-blue header. The only major difference is that mysql8.db4free.net manages databases on the MySQL 8.0 server whereas www.db4free.net manages databases on the MySQL 5.7 server. Accounts created on either site do not affect the other site, so they are completely separate. If you want a MySQL 5.7 database as well as a MySQL 8.0 database you need to register on both sites.
Have fun and enjoy!
A word on Bitcoins
db4free.net now accepts donations in Bitcoins. Donations in traditional currencies are also supported via PayPal.