Quick Comparison Matrix

Database Type License ACID JSON Support Scalability Best For
PostgreSQL Relational Open Source Full Native JSONB Good Complex applications
MySQL Relational Open Source Partial Basic Good Web applications
Oracle Relational Commercial Full Good Excellent Enterprise systems
MongoDB Document Open Source Limited Native Excellent Flexible schemas
Redis Key-Value Open Source No Basic Excellent Caching, sessions

How to Choose the Right Database

1

Define Your Requirements

  • Data structure and relationships
  • Performance and scalability needs
  • Consistency vs availability trade-offs
  • Budget and licensing constraints
2

Evaluate Options

  • Compare feature sets
  • Review performance benchmarks
  • Assess operational complexity
  • Consider ecosystem and tooling
3

Test and Validate

  • Run proof-of-concept tests
  • Benchmark with your workload
  • Evaluate migration complexity
  • Plan for future growth