Differences between PostgreSQL and MySQL

Thursday Jun 26, 2008

History and Structure

One of the most important difference between PostgreSQL and MySQL is the history and the internal structure.

PostgreSQL:

PostgreSQL started as a university project and in 1996 some guys took it away from the university and let it start a new live at the open source world. It always was a community only project. Which is living from donations and sponsoring and most of its contributors are spending free time on it to work as volunteer for it.  Today there are round about 200 developers world wide who are working more or minder permanently for PostgreSQL i.e. to give it a better quality or they are developping new and/or additional features. Also there are lots of other contributors who i.e. take care of donations or of internal administrative stuff like web servers or for marketing or whatever.

There is no company directly behind PostgreSQL and never will be. The contributors want that it will always stay a community only project.

The internal structure of PostgreSQL is hirarchical: There is a team of 7 core members. These 7 always will have the last word and will make the final descission.

MySQL:

MySQL started  with Monty Widenius. He worked for a special costumer on another system. The costumer wanted to remove these other system because they needed a SQL interface. Now Monty took this system as kernel and put SQL on it. After this he founded together with two others the Swedish company: MySQL AB. The company growed quickly and got sub companies in several other countries like Finland, Germany, Japan or US. In 2008 Sun Microsystems offered 10^9 US Dollar for buying MySQL AB. MySQL AB and Sun Microsystems closed this deal and so today MySQL is part of Sun Microsystems.

MySQL always was open source and will ever be. Nobody, neither the old MySQL management nor the Sun management want to change this in future.

MySQL AB has had a typically hirarchical company structure and also of course Sun Microsystems has this structure.

The Difference:

PostgreSQL is a community project and MySQL has a company background. Both modells of course have advantages and disadvantages but both don't want to change their modell.

Frequently asked questions:

Where will I get commercial support or training for PostgreSQL?

Lots of contributors offer commercial support or training or consultant activities for PostgreSQL.

I am working for Sun Microsystems so it's legitime for me to recommend Sun Microsystems here: 

Sun is one of the main sponsors of PostgreSQL. There are some contributors (including core member) working for Sun. Besides these contributors there are a bunch of other employees with a really great knowledge about PostgreSQL. Sun is offering commercial services for PostgreSQL world wide.

Will my old MySQL support contract get changes because of Sun Microsystems?

No. Sun Microsystems implemented MySQL AB as it was. On the first view: only the company name has changed. The old MySQL AB services and development employees are doing the same buisness at Sun Microsystems as they did at MySQL AB. Also the old costumer contracts will stay as they are.

How will this work with PostgreSQL and MySQL at Sun Microsystems?

As I told before: PostgreSQL and MySQL are two different pairs of shoes. Sun Microsystems will support both systems further on. They exist next to each other at the company.

Consider, that I am a contributor for PostgreSQL since years and since last year I am working for MySQL. So I support both systems too. That MySQL belongs to Sun Microsystems now means for me that I got a big brother who is supporting both.

There is no disadvantages to support both. There are only a advantages like knowledge about both and getting a better understanding for both systems.