Difference Between MongoDB and PostgreSQL

What is PostgreSQL?

PostgreSQL is an object-relational database management system. It is programmed in C language. It complies with a database's ACID(Atomicity, Consistency, Isolation, Durability) properties. It stores data in a table-like format. Also, it extends the SQL(Structured Query Language). 

Features of PostgreSQL

Some of the main features of PostgreSQL are:

• It is an open-source database management system. It has a monolithic architecture.
   
• It is available in multiple languages and is highly extensible.
   
• It protects data integrity and helps in building fault-tolerant environments. It has several fail-safes, which makes it reliable.
   
• It includes an access-control system that is robust. Also, it supports the use of international characters.

To learn and explore more, read the PostgreSQL Tutorial.

Advantages of PostgreSQL

Let us discuss some benefits of using PostgreSQL.

• ACID Transactions:- PostgreSQL supports the ACID transaction properties. It ensures that the database is atomic, consistent, isolated, and durable.
   
• Open Source:- It is a free tool. It helps users to manage their data in the database freely, making it cost-effective.
   
• Extensibility:- It allows users to extend the database with various operators and functions to help the developers format it to their requirements.
   
• Reliability and Scalability:- It is a reliable reputation. It offers data integrity and does not compromise data consistency. Also, it is scalable. This makes it a high-performance tool.
   
• Multiple Platform Support:- PostgreSQL can work on various operating systems like Windows, Mac OS, Linux, etc., in multiple languages.

Disadvantages of PostgreSQL

Let us look at some limitations of PostgreSQL.

• Memory Usage:- PostgreSQL requires more memory capacity than other database systems. It is not ideal for projects with limited memory resources.
   
• Complexity:- PostgreSQL’s performance can be complex in some situations. Also, it has some complex features which require highly skilled professionals.
   
• Popularity:- PostgreSQL is less popular than other database management systems like Oracle, Microsoft Server SQL, etc.
   
• Replication:- Data replication in PostgreSQL is more complex. Setting up and handling replication processes is challenging compared to other database systems.

Differences Between MongoDB and PostgreSQL

MongoDB vs PostgreSQL : Key Differences

Now that we have explored both database management systems let us study MongoDB vs PostgreSQL.

• ACID Compliance:- MongoDB has the potential for ACID transactions compliance. In contrast, PostgreSQL is already ACID compliant. It helps in data validity, atomicity, consistency, isolation, and durability.
   
• Data Structure:- MongoDB uses collections as compared to tables in PostgreSQL. PostgreSQL handles the data in a specific table-like format, while MongoDB handles the data like a collection. Also, MongoDB does not support foreign key constraints but PostgreSQL does.
   
• MongoDB query and SQL query:- MongoDB offers MQL, which helps handle the data and is idiomatic for each language. At the same time, PostgreSQL uses SQL.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which database is better suited for handling large-scale, unstructured data?

NoSQL databases like MongoDB are better suited for handling large-scale, unstructured data due to their schema-less nature and horizontal scalability.

Can Postgres replace MongoDB?

Postgres, with its JSONB support, can handle document-oriented tasks like MongoDB but might not match MongoDB’s performance and scalability with very large, schema-less data sets.

Which database offers better performance for complex joins?

Relational databases like PostgreSQL typically offer better performance for complex joins due to their optimized query planners and support for advanced SQL operations.

What are some primary differences between MongoDB and PostgreSQL?

MongoDB vs PostgreSQL goes on with distributed and monolithic architectures, document-oriented and object-oriented relational database models, no support and support of foreign key constraints, potential ACID compliance, and built-in ACID compliance, one language and multiple language support, respectively.

Conclusion

In today’s world, data is the new fuel. And to manage such large volumes of data in today’s ever-growing and technically advanced world, people use efficient database management systems worldwide. Two of the most commonly used database management systems are MongoDB and PostgreSQL. In this article, we discussed MongoDB vs PostgreSQL. We looked at their features and challenges respectively and then studied their differences. Now that you have understood the differences between MongoDB and PostgreSQL, you can easily decide which one to choose for your project.

To learn more about this topic, give a read to the following articles:

• MySQL vs. PostgreSQL
   
• Difference between SQL and NoSQL
   
• MongoDB vs. SQL

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