Hey, Threadiverse! I’m looking for informed opinions on database choices.
I can stand up an Internet-facing application and have it use either MySQL or PostgreSQL. Which is the better choice, and why do you think so?
Thanks!
You must log in or register to comment.
As someone that admins hundreds of MySQL at work, I’d go with PostgreSQL.
Yeah, every time I find some weird annoying behavior or some missing feature in MySQL, PostgreSQL is doing it right.
That said, also ask yourself if you really need a relational database, or whether an object store or append-only / timeseries db would fit better.
Same.
Postgres is a more robust and better designed and developed product, also it’s not owned by fucking Oracle.
As somebody who just watched a team implement MySQL for an app that only supported Postgres, I’d go with Postgres.
I never want to use MySQL again. Postgres or SQLite for relational databases.
Ha! My deepest experience with postgres was watching it fall over and wedge daily when run behind red hat’s satellite (the flailing lame foreman one, not spacewalk).
Wow, was it ever a dog. Yeah, I get it: the company who shat Systemd on the planet can’t be asked to do much better, but still.
So, you fucked up and it’s postgres’ fault?
PostgreSQL is just better. It’s supports transactions on DDL (things like altering table structure) and enforces unique constraints after transactions complete … so you can actually do a bunch of important stuff (like update your table structure or swap unique values between rows) safely.
Another vote for Postgres, MySQL kind of blows.
Postgres also had the advantage of great support for JSON elements, which gives you the power of a no-sql system like mongo in the package. A major selling point if your schema is evolving.
Most applications can do just fine with SQLite, but if you need something with a lot more write speed, go with PostgreSQL.
Postgres, hands down. It’s far better than MySQL in every way.
You aren’t exposing the database right?
Choosing is not so much about whether it’s internet facing or not. From the programmer’s perspective and an administrator’s perspective there are pros and cons to both. As someone looking to self-host, if you want to run a service that works with either, I would make the choice based on what seems the most supported, or which one you feel the most comfortable looking up and performing administrative tasks on. I tend to use postgresql more just because I have more experience with it and can recommend it if that’s what you need, but mysql can be just as good or better in many circumstances. Pick whichever one looks easier to you.
Postgres. It’s more strict by default, which leads to a lot fewer surprises.
Here’s my rule of thumb:
- SQLite - if it’s enough
- Postgres
- MariaDB - if you don’t care about your data and just want the thing to work
- MySQL - if you sold your soul to Oracle, but still can’t afford their license fee
- Something else - you’re a hipster or have very unique requirements
Postgres, the extensions and open source community have been very helpful.
Postgis for images
CloudNative-pg for running DB clusters in kuberneties.
PostgreSQL is the more feature rich, but if you don’t care about all those features like saving and searching in json structures, Geo data structures and a to of other stuff because you have a simple APO then MySQL is good enough, maybe even SQLite.
Its query planner is also much, much more powerful. Like it’s not even close.
There’s hardly any good reason to use MySQL today. Postgres is easier and nicer to work with, with a strong community backing it.
SQLite is completely different from both and has entirely different usecases.
Maria database is free and open source. It uses MySQL format.
Maria is MySQL. More specifically it is a fork with many additional features.
Maria database is free and open source.
Why are you implying that PostgreSQL isn’t?
Well mySQL certainly is not, I judge this to be a correct statement!
Actually, really good point. Sorry, person-I-responded-to. I thought you (PIRT) were comparing Maria to Postgres, when you (PIRT) were referring to Maria vs MySQL.
Both PostgreSQL and MariaDB are OSS and free; MySQL is covered with cooties and boogers, and you don’t want to get any of it on you.
Hi, I’m actually the guy you’re trying to respond to but yes that is exactly what I was trying to State
Avoid MySQL and MariaDB at all cost.
I used MariaDB for school projects, what exactly is wrong with it? Asking because I’m just unaware
Many things, too many to even remember.
Very bad SQL implementation is a good start, still bad replication support (compared to Postgres), various bugs present for too long…
https://www.sql-workbench.eu/dbms_comparison.html this comparison is a bit out of date, but explains a lot
While there was a time, where those databases were considered “good”, they are only this famous because they have been free or open source for ages. Professors love open source stuff. This does not necessarily mean it is a good product in terms of database functionality. They have been stuck in the old age and simply get outperformed by almost anything. Professors also hate to change their slides and to learn something new. Because their priority is on functionality, not on real world use. And when you want to use a product in the real world, non-functional properties gain a lot of value. One of them is performance.
If you want to have a fast, reliable, open source database, use ClickHouse.
Generally speaking, if a professor recommends something, it probably sucks. Their information is incredibly outdated and is usually whatever they used in their own undergrad program.
At school I learned:
- Java
- PHP
- MySQL
- C#
- C++
- Racket (Lisp)
Each of those has a better alternative, with C# being the least bad. For example:
- Java -> Kotlin
- PHP -> Python
- MySQL -> SQLite or Postgres
- C# -> Python (desktop QT GUIs) or web stack (e.g. Tauri for desktop web stack)
- C++ -> Rust (non-games) or a game engine
- Lisp -> Haskell
Formal education is for learning concepts, learn programming languages and tools on your own.
Click house is for OLAP workloads
It was. Now compare the benchmark of OLTP tasks and you will be surprised
deleted by creator
deleted by creator
You’re appealing to authority instead of presenting real arguments.
Smear campaign with an open source product? Are you sure you still have a working organ between your ears?
That being said, my recommendation is based on using databases in big data environments for 15 years. But I am glad that your home lab is working fine with MariaDB. Does not mean it is a good product. And your comment just proves my point.
