YugabyteDB has released version 1.2.9 with over 20 new features, enhancements and bug fixes. The release includes updates to the YSQL API, such as support for default values, overriding, and comment on statements. Other improvements include RPC heartbeats for faster failovers after network partitions and enhanced documentation and community engagement. The company is also hiring and invites users to compare its capabilities with other databases like CockroachDB and Google Cloud Spanner.