POSTGRES VS MYSQL FULL
POSTGRES VS MYSQL LICENSE
POSTGRES VS MYSQL SERIES

Both have strengths and weaknesses which make the target application the key deciding factor. So which is вЂњbetterвЂќ? Like every good consulting answer, it depends. In contrast, PostgreSQL is commonly a target for migration from large, enterprise databases moving to open source. This matches a key trend IвЂ™ve been seeing вЂ“ new applications/microservices tend to launch on MySQL as they are designed with very basic data structures and relationships. While both options work for basic relational workloads, MySQL excels in web-based applications while PostgreSQL shines with complex workloads.

POSTGRES VS MYSQL LICENSE

PostgreSQL uses an open source license similar to BSD/MIT where MySQL uses the GPL licenseДЄfter looking through the high-level differences and similarities, both flavors definitely have their place in the open source database ecosystem.

PostgreSQL supports more modern data types (JSON, XML, etc) compared to MySQL which only supports JSON.

This greatly extends the standard relational database model and provides support for very complex workloads. Key Feature DifferencesДЄ major difference between the two flavors is that PostgreSQL offers custom object definitions and table inheritance. This allows for easier adoption for a wider variety of workloads.

While it can definitely support standard OLTP/OLAP workloads, the vast community is constantly developing new features and functionality. This can help with HA and read scalability. Similar to MySQL, replication allows teams to build out varying architectures. This may seem like a small difference, but it allows PostgreSQL to support much more complex workloads and schema designs. This takes all the standard RDBMS features and adds support for complex objects, table inheritance, and additional data types beyond JSON. PostgreSQL is an ORDBMS (Object Relational Database Management System).

Synchronous replication allows for straightforward HA while still maintaining ACID and high throughput. Simple asynchronous replication allows for easy read-scaling and report query offloading. While IвЂ™ve seen some implementations doing very complicated and non-trivial workloads, MySQL tends to shine with standard, relational schemas, and web-based workloads. It works very well for most OLTP workloads and some OLAP workloads as well. This means that it has all the standard features one would expect вЂ“ tables, views, foreign keys, stored procedures, and ACID compliance (when using InnoDB). MySQL is an RDBMS (Relational Database Management System). In later posts, IвЂ™ll look at operational, schema, and other aspects as I work to learn more about PostgreSQL. IвЂ™ll start at a very high level вЂ“ what are both technologies, how are they similar, how are they different, etc.

POSTGRES VS MYSQL SERIES

This is the first post in a series exploring PostgreSQL from the perspective of a MySQL DBA. While part of me wants to sit on the porch, waving my cane, and tell other flavors to вЂњget off my lawnвЂќ, IвЂ™m instead using this as an opportunity to really examine PostgreSQL vs MySQL in an objective manner. MySQL has been my focus for the better part of the last 15 years.

POSTGRES VS MYSQL FULL

In the spirit of full disclosure, IвЂ™m one of those вЂњset in my waysвЂќ DBAs that has worked extensively with one flavor.

Lately, IвЂ™m starting to see many teams working with multiple flavors of the same general technology which begs the question: which tech вЂњis betterвЂќ? In some cases, the debate is actually based on matching the use case to the proper tech (IвЂ™m looking at you SQL vs NoSQL). Oftentimes, we start with a particular flavor and from that moment until the end of time, it will always be вЂњthe bestвЂќ.

Postgres vs mysql