MySQL and PostgreSQL offer many of the same features and capabilities—but there are critical differences between these two Relational Database Management Systems (RDBMS) that cannot be ignored.
If you’re not familiar with these differences, here’s a quick and easy overview:
- MySQL is preferred for managing read-only commands. It is not preferred when concurrency is required.
- PostgreSQL is preferred for managing read-write operations, large datasets, and complex queries. But it’s not preferred for read-only operations.
- MySQL offers fewer features than PostgreSQL, but this allows MySQL to stay lighter, more stable, and faster at processing—especially when it comes to read-only queries.
- PostgreSQL was built to be ACID-compliant from the ground up and it’s optimal when concurrent transactions (MVCC) are required, but it is slower and less stable when it comes to read-only operations.
- MySQL is highly compatible with many different types of data storage engines. Whereas PostgreSQL is highly compatible with many different NoSQL formats.
In this guide, we provide a brief history and overview of each database system. We also highlight the critical differences and similarities between MySQL and PostgreSQL—and which one is best for different use cases.
Quick-Reference Table: MySQL vs. PostgreSQL Table
Feature & Characteristics
|
MySQL
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PostgreSQL
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ORDBMS vs. RDBMS
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Relational Database Management System (RDBMS)
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Object-Relational Database Management System (ORDBMS)
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ACID Compliance
|
Most engines offer ACID compliance, but MyISAM doesn’t support ACID
|
Fully supported
|
Backup & Recovery
|
Provides backup and recovery features
|
Well-known for its efficient backup and recovery features
|
Cross-Platform
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Yes
|
Optimal on UNIX-based systems
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Extensions & Plugins
|
Numerous available
|
Famous for extensibility, for example, PostGIS
|
Foreign Keys
|
Supported, but not in MyISAM
|
Fully supported.
|
Indexing Techniques
|
Various techniques available
|
Offers advanced types like GIN and GiST
|
SQL Data Types
|
Standard types available
|
More diverse, includes arrays, hstore
|
Stored Procedures
|
Supported
|
More advanced with PL/pgSQL language
|
Triggers
|
Supported
|
Flexible, multi-language support
|
Views
|
Supported
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Offers materialized views
|
Use Cases
|
MySQL
|
PostgreSQL
|
Web Applications
|
Widely for its speed and reliability
|
Growing in popularity, especially for complex use cases
|
Spatial Databases
|
Basic spatial functions
|
Advanced spatial functions available with the PostGIS extension
|
Enterprise Systems
|
Suitable for many enterprise applications
|
Used for its robustness and extensibility
|
Data Warehousing
|
Used for data warehouses but could require custom solutions
|
Stronger support for data warehouses with advanced data types
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Embedded Systems
|
Light-weight versions available
|
Less common but possible
|
*Please note that both databases have many more features, and this table only covers some of them. Also, please remember that choosing the right database depends on the specific requirements and characteristics of your project.
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The Basics: A General Overview of PostgreSQL and MySQL
Let’s start with a basic overview and history of PostgreSQL and MySQL. If you already know the basics, skip this section. If you’re a beginner, this section will bring you up to speed.
What is MySQL?
MySQL is the world’s most commonly used Relational Database Management System (RDBMS). Boasting the second-highest usage rate among developers in 2023, this open-source RDBMS is known for providing organizations with fast, reliable, stable, secure, and scalable data management.
MySQL is the go-to choice for scalable web applications. It comes standard in the LAMP stack. The LAMP stack is extremely popular in web development. It’s an open-source stack of web applications that includes Linux, Apache HTTP Server, MySQL, and PHP. Also, the most popular content management systems (including Drupal, Joomla, and WordPress) use MySQL. In this respect, you’ll find MySQL virtually everywhere.
Here are some of the defining characteristics of MySQL:
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Less extensible and not as flexible compared to PostgreSQL: This allows MySQL to stay lightweight, efficient, and stable—especially for web applications.
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Powerful data security features: These include multiple encrypted options for access control.
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Support for a broad range of data types: These include numeric, date/time, character, JSON, boolean, and enumerated. PostgreSQL offers support for even more.
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Support for a wide variety of indexes: These include B-tree, hash, R-tree, and inverted indexes.
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High volume transactions: The ability to manage high volumes of read/write transactions.
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Access to excellent support: Access to a large and active support community as well as paid support from many different vendors.
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Open source: MySQL is free and open source.
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Maintained by Oracle: Oracle owns and maintains MySQL, and it offers premium versions of MySQL with additional services, proprietary plugins, extensions, and user support.
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Supportive community: A devoted community of volunteers exists to help with troubleshooting.
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Stable and reliable: Users agree that MySQL is a very stable RDBMS as long as you keep your databases “tidy” and perform regular maintenance.
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MVCC features: MySQL offers multi-version concurrency control (MVCC) features.
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Frequent updates: MySQL benefits from frequent updates with new features and security improvements. The most recent update was Version 8.0.32 on January 24, 2023.
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4.4-Star Rating: MySQL has a 4.4-star rating (out of 5 stars) from 1,606 reviews on G2Crowd.
History of MySQL
The history of MySQL dates back to 1995. The now-legendary Swedish computer scientist, Michael “Monty” Widenius, and his team released MySQL as an open-source platform. Widenius and his company (MySQL AB) created MySQL to be a stable, reliable, and affordable database management system.
In 2008, Sun Microsystems acquired MySQL AB and MySQL. In 2010, Oracle Corporation acquired Sun Microsystems and MySQL. These acquisitions sparked concern in the MySQL community. What if the new owners stopped developing and maintaining MySQL?
To ensure the availability of a high-performance, open-source relational database, Michael Widenius forked MySQL in 2009 to create MariaDB. Both MySQL and MariaDB are still extremely popular in 2023. However, MySQL is by far the most widely used among developers and businesses.
Developers frequently use MySQL with PHP to create dynamic websites and applications. Because MySQL handles large datasets with speed and efficiency, it is also popular with firms that need to store, access, and understand large amounts of data. Finally, MySQL is relatively easy to learn and provides scalability options for larger businesses.
Today, Facebook, Twitter, Netflix, and other big tech companies rely on MySQL for their mission-critical systems. Other notable organizations that use MySQL include:
- Facebook
- Google
- Flickr
- GitHub
- NASA
- Netflix
- Spotify
- Tesla
- Twitter
- Uber
- US Navy
- WeChat
- Wikipedia
- YouTube
- Zappos
- Zendesk
For more information on Integrate.io's native MySQL connector, visit our Integration page.
MySQL Logo
What is PostgreSQL?
PostgreSQL is an open-source, Object-Relational Database Management System (ORDBMS). With over 30 years of active development, PostgreSQL features a ‘catalog-driven’ operation and a lot more features and capabilities than other database management systems. This makes it highly extensible and customizable to fit the widest variety of use cases.
Because PostgreSQL is flexible enough to manage unique database scenarios, it has become the go-to solution for complicated, high-volume data operations that MySQL wouldn’t be able to handle. PostgreSQL doesn’t just store information about tables and columns. It lets you define data types, index types, and functional languages.
Here are some of the defining characteristics of PostgreSQL:
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Object-Relational Database Management System (ORDBMS): These are hybrid database systems that combine relational and object-oriented features. They’re best for managing both structured and complex data types.
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Customizable: It supports user-defined functions and stored procedures and includes more features and capabilities than other database systems. You can customize PostgreSQL by developing plugins to make it fit your requirements. PostgreSQL also lets you incorporate custom functions made with other programming languages like C/C++, Java, and more.
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Wide variety of data types: These include integers, strings, dates, timestamps, and binary objects.
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Scalable: It’s known for being easy to scale, making it an excellent choice for enterprise applications and web apps.
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ACID-compliant: This allows it to achieve highly concurrent transactions and offer NoSQL support. MySQL has offered NoSQL support since Version 8.0.
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Open source: PostgreSQL is free and open source. PostgreSQL features a liberal open-source license that lets you use, modify, and distribute the DBMS however you want.
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Frequent updates: The most recent stable PostgreSQL update was Version 15.4 in August 2023.
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MVCC Features: PostgreSQL was the first DBMS to implement multi-version concurrency control (MVCC) features, which allows for concurrent transactions. This allows multiple users to make changes to the same record at once.
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Large and active support community: PostgreSQL has a devoted community of developers and volunteers. This community continues to maintain and update PostgreSQL via the PostgreSQL Global Development Group. Private, third-party support services are also available.
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4.4-Star Rating: Has a 4.4-star review (out of 5 stars) from 598 reviews on G2Crowd.
PostgreSQL won the Database of the Year Award in 2020 for being the fastest-growing DBMS of its time. However, both PostgreSQL and MySQL were beaten by Snowflake in 2021 and 2022.
PostgreSQL Logo
History of PostgreSQL
The history of PostgreSQL dates back to the late 1980s. The now-legendary computer scientist, Michael Stonebraker—and his team at the University of California, Berkeley—released PostgreSQL in 1989. They modeled it after the Ingres relational database system.
After its release in 1989, PostgreSQL quickly gained popularity due to new features and capabilities related to transactions, triggers, stored procedures, and views. Today, PostgreSQL supports a wide variety of languages, including Python and JavaScript. It also has a strong focus on security and scalability, making it an ideal choice for high-volume applications.
Notable organizations that use PostgreSQL include:
- Apple
- BioPharm
- Cisco
- Debian
- Etsy
- Facebook
- Fujitsu
- IMDB
- Instagram
- Macworld
- Red Hat
- Skype
- Spotify
- Sun Microsystem
- Yahoo
Integrate.io provides a native PostgreSQL connector. Visit our Integration page for more information.
Related Reading: 5 Postgres ETL Tools for Seamless Data Integration
Same, Same, But Different: What Do MySQL and PostgreSQL Share in Common (and What Makes Them Unique)?
MySQL and PostgreSQL are still very different from each other—but with each new version release, the gap between the features and capabilities of these database systems is shrinking. All of the bullets in this section highlight the similarities between MySQL and PostgreSQL.
The following similarities have always been true:
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Large and helpful community support: Both database systems offer large and helpful community support. When higher levels of support are required, professional support packages are available from private service providers.
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SQL (Structured Query Language): MySQL and PostgreSQL use SQL (Structured Query Language), the most popular language for data management systems. SQL offers a simple format for querying and joining tables, and the basics of SQL are easy to learn for non-tech-savvy team members.
In recent years, MySQL has begun to offer more extensibility features and other capabilities that used to be unique to PostgreSQL. However, just because MySQL offers the feature doesn’t mean it’s the same as PostgreSQL:
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Common Table Expression (CTE): CTE is a temporary result set that users can refer to inside a SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, or DELETE statement.
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Geographic Information System (GIS) and Spatial Reference System (SRS): GIS captures, stores, and analyzes spatial and geographic data. SRS defines a coordinate-based system to locate positions in space. PostgreSQL offers this feature with the PostGIS extension. MySQL offers it built-in.
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JSON Compatibility: MySQL now supports JavaScript Object Notation (JSON), which allows for the storage and transportation of data. However, PostgreSQL is still the only platform that supports JSONB. JSONB is the binary version that removes duplicate keys and eliminates extra whitespace.
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Multi-Version Concurrency Control (MVCC): MVCC allows multiple transactions to access the same data at the same time without conflicts. Generally, PostgreSQL is known for handling MVCC operations more efficiently.
-
Window Functions: These enable calculations across a set of table rows that are related to the current row.
PostgreSQL has also begun to offer features and capabilities that used to be unique to MySQL. Again, just because PostgreSQL offers the feature doesn’t mean it's the same as MySQL:
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Declarative Partitioning: This enables the subdivision of a table into smaller, more manageable tables—but still treats it as one table. PostgreSQL 10 added this feature by making it easier to partition tables. MySQL offers this feature through the CREATE TABLE and PARTITION BY syntax.
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Logical Replication: This allows for replicating data changes based on events like inserts, updates, and deletes.
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Semi-Synchronous Replication: This replication method only considers a transaction to be committed after at least one slave acknowledges receipt of the data. MySQL uses this feature to support better data integrity. PostgreSQL now offers this feature through external tools.
Subtle Differences That You Might Not Notice
Many features appear to be the same in MySQL and PostgreSQL. However, this is only the case on the surface. When you take a closer look, you will find subtle differences that could make or break your use case.
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ACID properties: Both are ACID-compliant systems. However, some MySQL storage engines—like MyISAM—don’t support ACID. If you need ACID compliance with MySQL, try InnoDB.
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Backup and Recovery: Both provide backup and recovery features. The backup and recovery tool that comes with PostgreSQL is known for its high level of efficiency.
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Cross-platform: Both MySQL and PostgreSQL are cross-platform solutions. However, PostgreSQL is famous for its performance optimization features on UNIX-based systems.
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Extensions and plugins: Both are extensible and have numerous extensions and plugins available. But PostgreSQL is more famous for its extensibility, due to its wide range of extra modules, such as PostGIS and its spatial data features.
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Foreign Keys: Both allow foreign key constraints. However, the MyISAM storage engine in MySQL doesn’t.
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Indexes: Both PostgreSQL and MySQL include support for different indexing techniques. However, PostgreSQL offers some advanced indexing types (like GIN and GiST), which are not available in MySQL.
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Standard SQL Data Types: The standard SQL data types (like INTEGER and VARCHAR) are available in both MySQL and PostgreSQL. However, PostgreSQL supports a wider range of data types, including arrays and hstore.
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Stored procedures: Both support stored procedures. However, compared to the routine syntax of MySQL, PostgreSQL provides more complete support through its PL/pgSQL language. The PL/pgSQL language allows PostgreSQL users to be more creative in developing stored procedures to fit their unique use cases.
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Triggers: Both support the use of triggers. But again, PostgreSQL is more flexible when it comes to triggers because it allows you to write them in different languages.
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Views: Creating views is possible in both. However, PostgreSQL offers materialized views. Materialized views cache the results of an expensive, compute-heavy query—allowing you to refresh the result periodically. This is helpful when you need fast data access.
When to Use MySQL Over PostgreSQL (and Vice-Versa)?
As the “feature-rich” choice, PostgreSQL gets a lot of fanfare from developers. But MySQL’s simplicity, ease of use, and reliability could be a lot more valuable for certain use cases. In this respect, MySQL and PostgreSQL excel in different areas.
When to Use MySQL
Here are situations where you may want to use MySQL.
When you need storage engine flexibility. MySQL lets you select from a range of storage engines. This gives you the flexibility to integrate data from a variety of table types. MySQL 8.0 supports the following storage engines:
- InnoDB
- MyISAM
- Memory
- CSV
- Archive
- Blackhole
- NDB/NDBCLUSTER
- Merge
- Federated
- Example
When you need speed and reliability. By not including certain SQL features, MySQL stays light to prioritize speed and reliability. MySQL’s speed is especially apparent when it comes to highly concurrent, read-only functions. This makes it an excellent choice for certain business intelligence purposes. However, if you need to run a lot of complicated queries under heavy loads, PostgreSQL may be a better choice.
When you need options for server optimization. MySQL offers various options for tweaking and optimizing your MySQL server by adjusting variables like sort_buffer_size, read_buffer_size, max_allowed_packet, etc.
When you want the easiest-to-use database system. The popularity of MySQL means it’s easy to find database admins with MySQL experience. Users also report that it’s easier to set up and doesn’t require as much fine-tuning as other DBMS solutions. This tutorial shows how easy it is for beginners to set up their first MySQL database. Plus, a number of front-ends, like Adminer, MySQL Workbench, HeidiSQL, and dbForge Studio, add a graphical interface to MySQL, offering a user-friendly experience.
When you want a cloud-ready DBMS. MySQL is cloud-ready, and many cloud platforms offer MySQL services where they’ll install and maintain your MySQL database for a fee.
When multi-version concurrency control (MVCC) and ACID compliance are needed, and you can tolerate the risk of corrupted tables. The default engine for current versions of MySQL is InnoDB. This adds MVCC and ACID compliance. However, problems with corrupted tables may still arise with InnoDB on MySQL because of its MyISAM table format. Moreover, selecting another engine will probably result in losing MVCC and ACID compliance.
When your dev team needs a simple solution. PostgreSQL requires a higher level of skill and not all developers are up to the task of using it, or they simply don’t have enough training and experience. For an easier solution, choose MySQL.
When to Use PostgreSQL
Here are situations where you may want to use PostgreSQL.
When you need an ORDBMS, not just an RDBMS. PostgreSQL is an object-relational programming language (ORDBMS), so it serves as a bridge between object-oriented programming and relational/procedural programming as C++ does. This allows you to define objects and table inheritance, translating to more complicated data structures. An ORDBMS is brilliant when you’re dealing with data that doesn’t mesh with a strictly relational model.
When you need to carry out complex read-write operations. When you need to perform complicated read-write operations while using data that requires validation, PostgreSQL is an excellent choice. However, the ORDBMS could experience slowdowns while dealing with read-only operations.
When you want the best NoSQL support and support for the largest variety of data types. PostgreSQL is a popular choice for NoSQL features. It natively supports a rich variety of data types, including JSON, hstore, and XML. You can define original data types and set up custom functions, too.
When you need to manage an extra-large database. PostgreSQL doesn’t restrict the size of your databases. According to a database administrator for Adjust.com, his firm uses PostgreSQL to manage “around 4PB [petabytes] of data”. That’s 4,000 terabytes! He also said that their “environment processes (and then logs) 100k to 250k requests from outside a second” with PostgreSQL.
When you need the best multi-version concurrency control (MVCC). MVCC is one of the most important reasons businesses choose PostgreSQL. MVCC permits different readers and writers to interact with and manage the PostgreSQL database simultaneously. This eliminates the need for a read-write lock each time someone needs to interact with the data—thus improving efficiency. MVCC achieves this through “snapshot isolation.” Snapshots represent the state of the data at a certain moment. Although the latest versions of MySQL offer MYVCC, PostgreSQL is usually the best for MVCC.
When you require the highest levels of ACID compliance. PostgreSQL prevents data corruption and preserves the integrity of data at the transactional level. Read more about the value of PostgreSQL’s ACID compliance here.
When your dev team has PostgreSQL skills. PostgreSQL is a harder database to learn, so make sure your team is up for the challenge.
If you want support for a REST API. PostgreSQL offers the PostgREST REST API. According to the PostgreSQL website, "PostgREST is a standalone web server that turns your PostgreSQL database directly into a RESTful API. The structural constraints and permissions in the database determine the API endpoints and operations." Incidentally, if you want similar functionality for MySQL, there are other tools and frameworks available to create RESTful APIs for MySQL databases, such as DreamFactory.
Related Reading: Redshift vs. Postgres: Key Differences
PostgreSQL User Support vs. MySQL User Support
When it comes to PostgreSQL vs. MySQL user support, both database systems have helpful communities to provide support to users. You can also find paid support from third-party providers. Let’s look at how they compare.
MySQL User Support
As an open-source project, MySQL has a large volunteer community that’s ready to help with free support and recommendations. The best way to seek this kind of support is on the MySQL website.
Reviews on G2Crowd show that MySQL offers a lot of free community support online, thanks to users willing to solve common issues. Furthermore, Oracle offers paid support anytime you need it.
PostgreSQL User Support
Like MySQL, PostgreSQL has a large community of volunteers who give free advice to users on IRC and on the following mailing lists. You can also purchase paid support through third-party providers, and you can also search through the PostgreSQL manuals and books found here.
As for how the PostgreSQL community compares to MySQL, some G2Crowd reviewers say that PostgreSQL community forums are not as responsive as MySQL forums. That being said, PostgreSQL problems can be more complex than MySQL problems. This could be why it’s sometimes harder to get the PostgreSQL answers you need.
Related Reading: MongoDB vs. MySQL: Detailed Comparison of Performance and Speed
PostgreSQL Speed vs. MySQL Speed: Which Is Faster?
Both PostgreSQL and MySQL are known for being fast. But it’s difficult to say which is faster because the databases are optimized for different use cases.
After in-depth testing, Windows Skills said that MySQL is faster, and Benchw said that PostgreSQL is faster. At the end of the day, PostgreSQL is faster when handling massive data sets, complicated queries, and read-write operations. MySQL is faster with read-only commands.
Which Programming Languages Do PostgreSQL and MySQL Support?
PostgreSQL and MySQL don’t always support the same programming languages. This table shows the languages that each database system supports.
Programming Language
|
PostgreSQL
|
MySQL
|
C/C++
|
Supported
|
Supported
|
Delphi
|
Supported
|
Supported
|
Erlang
|
Limited support
|
Limited support
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Go
|
Supported (via lib/pq)
|
Supported
|
Java
|
Supported
|
Supported
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JavaScript
|
Supported
|
Supported
|
Lisp
|
Limited support
|
Limited support
|
.Net
|
Supported (via Npgsql)
|
Supported
|
Node.js
|
Supported
|
Supported
|
Perl
|
Supported
|
Supported
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PHP
|
Supported
|
Supported
|
Python
|
Supported
|
Supported
|
R
|
Limited support
|
Limited support
|
Tcl
|
Supported
|
Limited support
|
*Please note that this table is a general overview. The actual support may vary based on the specific libraries or drivers of the respective language and database. "Limited support" means that there could be fewer mature libraries or that the community is not as active as for these languages.
What Operating Systems Do PostgreSQL and MySQL Work With?
When it comes to operating system compatibility, both MySQL and PostgreSQL offer the broadest range of compatibility. In most cases, these database systems will work with your operating system, as the following table indicates. Often, the preferred OS is Linux for these systems.
Operating System
|
PostgreSQL
|
MySQL
|
Microsoft Windows
|
Supported
|
Supported
|
MacOS
|
Supported
|
Supported
|
Linux (General/Generic)
|
Supported
|
Supported
|
Linux (Ubuntu)
|
Supported
|
Supported
|
Linux (Debian)
|
Supported
|
Supported
|
Linux (SUSE Linux Enterprise Server & OpenSuSE)
|
Supported
|
Supported
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Linux (Red Hat Enterprises, CentOS, Fedora, Scientific, Oracle)
|
Supported
|
Supported
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Oracle Solaris
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Supported
|
Supported
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Fedora (Note: Also part of Red Hat family)
|
Supported
|
Supported
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BSD (FreeBSD, OpenBSD)
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Supported
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Supported (Primarily FreeBSD)
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Open Source Build
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Supported
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Supported
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PostgreSQL Indexes vs. MySQL Indexes: How Do They Index?
Indexes improve database performance by speeding up SQL queries when dealing with large tables of data. Without indexing a database, queries would be slow and taxing for the DBMS. PostgreSQL and MySQL offer different indexing options.
MySQL Indexing Types
MySQL supports the following index types:
- Indexes stored on B-trees, such as INDEX, FULLTEXT, PRIMARY KEY, and UNIQUE.
- Indexes stored on R-trees, such as indexes found on spatial data types.
- Hash indexes and inverted lists when using FULLTEXT indexes.
PostgreSQL Index Types
PostgreSQL supports the following index types:
- Hash indexes and B-tree indexes.
- Partial indexes that only organize information from part of the table.
- Expression indexes that create an index resulting from expression functions as opposed to column values.
How Is Coding Different in PostgreSQL vs. MySQL?
Here are three areas of difference between coding with PostgreSQL vs. MySQL.
1. Case Sensitivity
MySQL is not case-sensitive. When writing queries, you don't need to capitalize strings as they appear in the database. PostgreSQL is case-sensitive. You need to capitalize strings exactly as they appear in the database or the query will fail.
2. Default Character Sets and Strings
With certain versions of MySQL, it is necessary to convert character sets and strings to UTF-8. With PostgreSQL, it is not necessary to convert character sets and strings to UTF-8. Moreover, UTF-8 syntax isn’t allowed in PostgreSQL.
3. IF and IFNULL vs. CASE Statements
In MySQL, it’s perfectly fine to use IF and IFNULL statements. In PostgreSQL, IF and IFNULL statements don’t work. You need to use a CASE statement instead.
Latest PostgreSQL and MySQL Developments Since 2020
MySQL and PostgreSQL are continually improving and releasing new versions. In the last three years, both of these database systems have released some important improvements to achieve:
- Improved performance for complex queries
- Enhanced security features
- Increased scalability
- Support for new data types and functions
Recent MySQL Developments
The release of MySQL 8.0 introduced the following new features:
- Spatial data types so MySQL can store and query spatial data, such as points, lines, and polygons.
- JSON support so MySQL can store and query JSON data.
- Improved performance by adding a new query optimizer and improved support for parallel queries.
MySQL also released the InnoDB Cluster to provide high availability and scalability for mission-critical applications. Finally, MySQL released the X DevAPI to provide a unified way to interact with the database, regardless of the programming language being used.
Recent PostgreSQL Developments
The release of PostgreSQL 14 introduced the following new features:
- Logical replication so PostgreSQL can replicate data from one database to another in a way that is both efficient and scalable.
- Table partitioning so PostgreSQL can divide large tables into smaller, more manageable partitions.
- Improved performance for JSON data through performance improvements that include a new JSON data type and improved support for JSON functions.
- The release of PostgreSQL TimescaleDB, an open-source extension that supports time series data, which is useful for financial trading and IoT applications.
Article Summary
In conclusion, choosing between PostgreSQL vs. MySQL often boils down to the following questions:
- Do you need a feature-rich database that can handle complex queries and massive databases? Postgres could be your choice thanks to its scalability.
- Do you need a simpler database that’s easy to set up and manage, fast, reliable, and well-understood? MySQL is ideal.
Here's a final summary of the critical differences between PostgreSQL and MySQL:
Data Type Support
- PostgreSQL has a more extensive set of built-in data types, including support for arrays, hstore, JSON, and geometric types. This makes PostgreSQL more versatile for certain types of applications that require these data types.
- MySQL has a more limited set of data types, but it offers spatial extensions for geographic information system (GIS) data.
SQL Compliance
- PostgreSQL is known for its high level of SQL standards compliance. It adheres closely to the SQL standards, which can lead to more predictable behavior across different platforms and applications.
- MySQL traditionally had some deviations from strict SQL standards, but with newer versions, it has improved its compliance and continues to bridge the gap.
Performance
- MySQL has historically been favored for read-heavy workloads, making it a popular choice for web applications and websites.
- PostgreSQL's architecture is better suited for complex queries and analytical workloads. It performs well in scenarios where advanced SQL features are required.
Replication and High Availability
- MySQL provides various replication methods, including master-slave replication, but some of its clustering solutions may require third-party tools.
- PostgreSQL offers built-in synchronous replication, which makes it easier to achieve high availability and data redundancy.
Full-Text Search
- PostgreSQL includes robust full-text search capabilities out-of-the-box, allowing for complex text search operations.
- While MySQL also supports full-text search, it may require additional configuration and external engines like InnoDB or MyISAM.
Foreign Key Constraints and Triggers
- PostgreSQL has more advanced support for foreign key constraints and triggers, making it a better choice for applications that require complex data integrity and business rules.
- MySQL also supports foreign key constraints and triggers but has been historically less strict in enforcing them.
Licensing
Both PostgreSQL and MySQL are powerful databases with their own unique features and capabilities. When deciding which one is right for your application, it's important to consider all of these factors.
Integrate.io: Data Integration Solutions for MySQL and PostgreSQL
Integrating data from a MySQL or PostgreSQL DBMS into your business intelligence platform could be a source of roadblocks and challenges. This is where Integrate.io can help. We offer an extremely powerful and easy-to-use ETL solution. Best of all, Integrate.io doesn’t require any tech skills or data integration experience.
Integrate.io can extract information from nearly any data source (whether you’re using MySQL, PostgreSQL, or something else). Then, it transforms the data to seamlessly integrate with any data warehouse or destination system you require. We also provide ELT or change data capture (CDC) technology for super-fast data replication.
Want to give Integrate.io a test spin? Click this link for a free, 14-day trial, or contact our team to find out more.
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