HN Explorer

Ask HN: Is PostgreSQL Your Goto DBMS?

16 points by munduz ↗ HN
Noticed for me, whenever new project starts, PostgreSQL is chosen as a DBMS.

We don't even consider other DBMS. PostgreSQL has proven it's efficiency even in big tech.

P.S. No offense to other DBMS

20 comments

[ 0.24 ms ] story [ 57.4 ms ] thread
tofukid
My go to is SQLite, unless I need GIS features. If traffic or database size becomes unwieldy, it’s easy to transition to PostgreSQL.
munduz
We do same with projects in django but deploy with PostgreSQL.
Andys
I have switched to cockroachdb for personal projects as it is wire-compatible with postgres, but is easier to run/scale/maintain
m8s
It's pretty much the default database in the Elixir/Phoenix world and I really don't see any reason for my to change.
altdataseller
I use MongoDB as it’s more scalable by default. Harder to distribute Postgres across more than 1 node
jmstfv
I love Postgres and used it in the past in my businesses.

With my new business, though, I went with SQLite. It's good enough, and I don't have to worry about keeping it up 24/7 (or paying someone to keep it up). I can copy a database file to a new machine, and it'll be up and running in no time. I don't worry much about scalability.

More often than not, simple is better than complex.

thorin
My go-to DB is Oracle, because I've been using it for like 20 years commercially. The DB I'm next most familiar with is SQL Server. Both of these are fine, for most use cases (see stackoverflow on SQL Server and MANY large organizations on Oracle. For my own projects, if I had to pay the license I would use Postgres as the primary store, or a cloud db PAAS/SAAS. No need to use anything other that Postgres IMHO.
kumarvvr
Ideally yes. But being a lazy developer, I go to ORMs for most projects, so it doesn't really matter. However, I do regularly update and use PostgreSQL as the database of choice.
JasonCannon
I always use SQL Server because we are a .net/azure shop.
munduz
My colleagues started using PostgreSQL even in Azure. Don't know details though, maybe it is easier to use MSSQL in Azure ???
JasonCannon
Azure does offer PostgreSQL, but that only launched in 2018. I was working at a Microsoft consultant shop when we started working on my current companies project back in 2016. So when it came to managed database as a service, it was MSSQL.
mindcrime
Yes, absolutely. I love PostgreSQL and it's definitely my default choice, barring some very specific reason to go in a different direction.
marto1
Yep. And it almost always delivers. As a bonus all your clients/monitoring/devops stack is exactly the same across applications.
max_hammer
Yep.

Good performance. No license fee. Long term support. Large talent Pool.

Oracle is very costly and I won't touch SQLServer with 10 feet pole.

viso
yes but i didnt try many other databases, but from what i know it may very well be the best one.
steve_taylor
Yes, and I’m proud to say it’s been my go-to DBMS since before it was popular. It has always been an excellent choice. I wish someone would make something like Oracle Apex for PostgreSQL.