MariaDB on XAMMP and MySQL on server

[mirekjl]

Hello. I have 4.4.3 Joomla site. My hosting is going to upgrade MySQL from version 5 to 8 soon. I made Akeeba backup, installed it on XAMMP and upgraded to Joomla 5. However, XAMMP uses MariaDB. Will it be ok when I make Akeeba backup on XAMMP (with MariaDB) and install it on a server with MySQL?

[AMurray]

Yes, it is relatively easy. It should be as simple (if not using Akeeba) as exporting from MySQL, and importing to a new MariaDB and vice versa. If using Kickstart to restore, then that should be simple too, nothing different, you just specify the database name and credentials as you normally would.

Rather than XAMPP which ties you to certain server software, I'd try using WAMPServer. (https://wampserver.aviatechno.net/).

That comes with MariaDB and MySQL -and you can add different versions of those databases as 'modules' and try out both server configs. The migration and switch of databases is easier to test before even getting near your live webhost - so try the Akeeba restore locally. You can also install, as modules, varying PHP versions, where XAMPP restricts you to (single) version shipped with the download package for XAMPP.