Moving to PostgreSQL?

Chief

Curious, how many people have moved from using MySQL to PostgreSQL? What are your results with this move?

We have to build a new management panel for one of our internal services for work, it's not a huge task perhaps a couple of months of solid development and I'm throwing the idea of using PostgreSQL.

eastonch

Chief; why would you move?

prometeus

Before mysql had views, stored procedures and triggers I used a lot postgres (even to develop our old billing system). Since I was used to databases like oracle / interbase / sybase postgres was more near to my concept of database :P I liked the strict typing, the oo tables, triggers and SP. However I hated pl/pgsql which was very poor at that time if compared to oracle pl/sql. However I know things are better now...

In the last years I didn't work on software development so I don't touch PG since long time...

ajit

While building my own software, I prefer postgresql to mysql. It is a safe and solid piece of engineering.

plueschopath

+1 for postgresql

raindog308

PostgreSQL is fine software. But unless you can point to specific features that you need, I would stick with MySQL for Linux-based programming.

The reason is that the MySQL ecosystem is so much bigger. You're more likely to find apps that use MySQL, utilities, etc. If you have a question, it's easier to find help. MySQL is usually "good enough" and Pg's advantages only show up in the extremes. By that I mean things like "I can embed Python in Pg, it's easier to port Oracle PL/SQL packages, etc." Great - but very few people really want to do those things.

If you don't care about ecosystem and this is something for work, then you might consider various vendor's Express editions:

• Oracle provides Oracle Express (limit 11gb data, 1 CPU, 1GB RAM). It's free.
• DB/2 provides DB/2 Express ( no limit on data, 2 CPU, I forget how much RAM). Also free.
• Ditto for Informix
• SQL Server Express offers 4gb data, 1 CPU, 1GB RAM for free

Or if you have very low write-concurrency needs, SQLite :-)

But probably just sticking with MySQL is the easiest option.

@prometeus said: I hated pl/pgsql which was very poor at that time if compared to oracle pl/sql.

It's better, but you're not going to find anything like Oracle in the free space. Current Pg is equivalent to Oracle 8 or so - about 3-4 versions behind. The laundry list of things that Oracle can do that other DBs can't is very long, but fortunately, only 5% of the world really needs those things.

jcaleb

i like mysql, more docs on the net

tommy

dont have a particular reason to use psql, I use that because my client asking me to do database on psql. I still dont see any reason to move to psql, maybe because I dont use that extensive.

jcaleb

the only time i used postgres and its stored proc is when i needed to do GIS apps.

komo

postgresql is to mysql what mysql is to sqlite.

there is no better free database than postgresql but mysql isam has much smaller memory footprint and it is enough for most users. but someone who is happy with isam-tables and does not need user adminstration will probably be satisfied with sqlite too.

but as soon if you try serious database work which does more than a simple insert/update/select you will see big difference between postgresql and other free databases.