When it comes to selecting a database management system (DBMS) for a project, developers and database administrators often find themselves weighing the pros and cons of various platforms. Two of the most popular open-source relational database systems are PostgreSQL and MySQL. Both are highly capable databases that have been powering a vast array of applications for decades and have developed unique feature sets, performance characteristics, and followings as a result. In this comprehensive comparison, we’ll dive deep into the unique aspects of PostgreSQL and MySQL, looking at their histories, performance, feature sets, ease of use, community support, and more to help you make an informed decision for your database needs.
History and Background
PostgreSQL began its life as the POSTGRES project at the University of California, Berkeley, with the first version released in 1989. It was designed as the successor to the Ingres database. Over the years, PostgreSQL has evolved to become one of the most advanced open-source relational database systems available. The project emphasizes standards compliance, extensibility, and the ability to handle complex queries and data integrity.
MySQL, on the other hand, was originally created by a Swedish company, MySQL AB, in 1995. It was designed to handle large databases much faster than existing solutions and was made popular by its ease of use, speed, and by being the database component of the LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP/Perl/Python) stack which powered a large portion of the web in the early 2000s. In 2008, MySQL AB was acquired by Sun Microsystems, which was in turn acquired by Oracle in 2010.
Performance and Reliability
Performance in databases can vary significantly depending on the use case, but both PostgreSQL and MySQL have strong reputations for reliability. PostgreSQL is known for handling a larger volume of complex queries and ensuring data integrity, which makes it a popular choice for enterprise and financial applications where data consistency is paramount. It also provides very robust support for concurrent transactions.
MySQL is often praised for its speed, particularly with read-heavy operations, which has made it a standard choice for web applications. Its more recent versions have seen improvements in performance and support for more advanced features, which narrows the performance gap between the two.
Feature Set
PostgreSQL is often referred to as an “object-relational database” because it allows users to define custom data types and supports inheritance, functions, and even custom languages. It has strong support for JSON, and can be used as a NoSQL database as well as a relational one. PostgreSQL’s support for Window Functions, Common Table Expressions (CTEs), and extensive indexing, including expression indexes and partial indexes, are also standout features.
MySQL, with its InnoDB storage engine, offers features such as full text indexing and query caching for improved performance. However, it can lag behind PostgreSQL in terms of recent SQL standard support, advanced indexing, and custom data types. MySQL does include JSON support, but it is not as extensive as PostgreSQL’s.
Extensibility and Ecosystem
Extensibility is one of PostgreSQL’s highlights. It allows users to develop their own custom data types, custom functions, and even write code in different programming languages that run inside the database server. This level of extensibility makes PostgreSQL very adaptable to various complex applications.
MySQL is somewhat extensible, offering support for plugins and user-defined functions. Its ecosystem has been historically strong because of the massive number of web applications running on it, which means there is a plethora of tools and interfaces available for MySQL administration and optimization.
Community and Enterprise Support
Both PostgreSQL and MySQL have active communities. PostgreSQL is developed by a dedicated community which constantly improves its capabilities and is known for its thoughtful and considered approach to features and changes. There are also several companies that offer professional support and services on PostgreSQL, such as EnterpriseDB, which can be appealing for businesses looking for enterprise-grade support.
The community around MySQL is also very large and active, partly due to the popularity of the LAMP stack. Oracle offers official support for MySQL, but there have been concerns in the community about the future of the open-source nature of MySQL since Oracle’s acquisition. As a result, forks like MariaDB have gained traction as community-driven alternatives with a commitment to remain open-source.
Licensing and Open Source
Licensing is a crucial factor to consider when selecting a database. PostgreSQL uses the PostgreSQL License, a liberal open-source license similar to the MIT or BSD licenses. It allows you to use, modify, and distribute PostgreSQL in any form without worrying about license costs or compliance issues.
MySQL is released under the GNU General Public License (GPL), which means that any software that uses MySQL must also be released under a GPL-compatible license if released publicly. However, Oracle also offers a commercial license for MySQL, which you can purchase to use MySQL as part of proprietary software.
Conclusion
In conclusion, PostgreSQL and MySQL are both powerful databases with their own strengths and weaknesses. PostgreSQL stands out with advanced features, robustness, and extensibility, making it suitable for complex, high-integrity, and mixed database workloads. MySQL shines in web applications and offers a good balance of ease-of-use and performance, especially for read-heavy database operations. Your choice between PostgreSQL and MySQL should be informed by your project’s specific needs, technical requirements, and future growth expectations, ensuring a perfect alignment with your database system.