Choosing a back end database: SQL vs. Document vs. Columnar

#1

Post by thomas4019 » Sun, Mar 31, 2024, 3:56 PM UTC

Choosing a back end database: SQL vs. Document vs. Columnar
thomashansen.me

Re: Choosing a back end database: SQL vs. Document vs. Columnar

#2

Post by ttfkam » Sun, Mar 31, 2024, 4:29 PM UTC

Simpler decision tree:

Choose Postgres by default. Choose MySQL only when you have a specific requirement that cannot be satisfied by Postgres. Choose document-oriented only when there is a specific requirement that cannot be satisfied with a jsonb column in Postgres. Choose column-oriented as a secondary data store that ETLs from the primary (preferably Postgres) when you have to run high volume analytics.

Re: Choosing a back end database: SQL vs. Document vs. Columnar

#3

Post by thomas4019 » Sun, Mar 31, 2024, 4:51 PM UTC

ttfkam wrote: post #2

Simpler decision tree: Choose Postgres by default. Choose MySQL only when you have a specific requirement that cannot be satisfied by Postgres. Choose document-oriented only when there is a specific requirement that cannot be satisfied with a jsonb column in Postgres. Choose column-oriented as a secondary data store that ETLs from the primary (preferably Postgres) when you have to run high volume analytics.

Nice! This is a much simpler decision tree. Google uses column-oriented as their primary database, but you're probably right that unless at massive scale, it only makes sense as a secondary data store (e.g. data warehouse)