// Bitnami alternatives / mysql

Bitnami MySQL alternative
Replacing bitnamilegacy/mysql

The bitnamilegacy/mysql image has had about 3.9 million pulls since Bitnami moved it to the legacy repository, and it receives no updates. Switching to the official mysql image means changing environment variables and the data path. Get either wrong and the new container starts empty.

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Bitnami MySQL variables and their official equivalents

Bitnami MySQL image to official mysql:

SettingBitnamiOfficial image
Root passwordMYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORDMYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD
App user and passwordMYSQL_USER / MYSQL_PASSWORDMYSQL_USER / MYSQL_PASSWORD
DatabaseMYSQL_DATABASEMYSQL_DATABASE
Data path/bitnami/mysql/data/var/lib/mysql

What breaks when you switch

  • The core variables share names, so this is one of the easier moves. The data path is not shared: /bitnami/mysql/data becomes /var/lib/mysql.
  • Bitnami's replication variables (MYSQL_REPLICATION_*, MYSQL_MASTER_*) have no official equivalent.

What happened to the Bitnami MySQL image

For years, bitnami/mysql on Docker Hub was one of the most common ways to deploy MySQL on Kubernetes, usually through the Bitnami MySQL Helm chart. On 28 August 2025 Broadcom moved every versioned Bitnami container image, including this one, to the bitnamilegacy repository, and removed the public docker.io/bitnami catalog on 29 September 2025. The free tier now offers only latest tags of a limited set of images for development.

The legacy Docker image still pulls, so existing deployments keep working. It no longer receives updates, which means every vulnerability disclosed since the move stays open in the MySQL binary, in the base image and in every bundled dependency. Container scanners will report a growing count at every audit, and a workload that depends on a frozen public repository is one registry change away from ImagePullBackOff.

How to migrate MySQL off Bitnami safely

  1. Find every reference to bitnami/mysql and bitnamilegacy/mysql in running workloads, Helm values files and CI pipelines, including init containers.
  2. Record the MySQL version each deployment pins. Versions past upstream end of life are not covered by the free open source images.
  3. Take a backup and test a restore before touching a stateful workload.
  4. Mirror the replacement container images into your own registry, and scan them before you deploy.
  5. Move one replica or one environment at a time, and confirm the data path, file ownership and credentials on the new image.
  6. Remove every remaining legacy reference so nothing falls back to the archive on the next deploy.

Your options

Ask for an OSSeva drop-in image

OSSeva does not ship a MySQL image yet. Tell us you need one; we prioritise new images by the number of teams asking.

Official mysql image

Free and maintained for current versions. Apply the mapping above and move the volume.

Percona Operator for MySQL or MySQL Operator for Kubernetes

Operator-based installs replace the Bitnami mysql chart's replication logic.

Bitnami Secure Images

Broadcom's paid catalog keeps the Bitnami layout for supported versions, sold within TrueSource.

Repoint the Bitnami MySQL Helm chart

# values-override.yaml
image:
  registry: registry.example.com   # your mirror of the replacement image
  repository: mysql
  tag: "<pinned version>"
global:
  security:
    allowInsecureImages: true      # recent Bitnami charts reject non-Bitnami images without this

This works only with an image that keeps Bitnami's layout. With the official image, rewrite the chart or move to an operator. See replacing bitnamilegacy images for the full inventory and rollout steps.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best alternative to the Bitnami MySQL image?

The official mysql image, or Percona Operator for MySQL or MySQL Operator for Kubernetes on Kubernetes. Map the Bitnami variables and data path first, as shown on this page.

Is bitnamilegacy/mysql still getting security updates?

No. Bitnami moved versioned images to the bitnamilegacy repository on 28 August 2025 and describes it as receiving no further updates. It had about 3.9 million pulls by September 2026.

Can I keep using the Bitnami MySQL Helm chart?

Yes, with a maintained image that keeps Bitnami's layout. Set image.registry and image.repository in your values file, and set global.security.allowInsecureImages to true, because recent Bitnami charts refuse non-Bitnami images otherwise.

Is Bitnami no longer free?

Not for production. Since 28 August 2025, versioned Bitnami images live in the bitnamilegacy repository with no updates, and the free tier offers latest tags of a limited set of images for development. Maintained, versioned images are sold as Bitnami Secure Images, which Broadcom prices by quote.

Where does the Bitnami MySQL image store data?

Under /bitnami/mysql/data. The official image uses /var/lib/mysql, so the volume mount must change when you switch images.

Need a maintained MySQL image?

Send us your image list and versions; we reply with coverage and a migration plan within five working days.

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