Which database has better support for NoSQL functionality: Postgresql or MySQL?

PostgreSQL and MySQL are both popular relational databases that have evolved over time to provide NoSQL capabilities. Although both databases have made significant strides in providing NoSQL functionality, PostgreSQL has better NoSQL support compared to MySQL.

PostgreSQL

PostgreSQL has added several NoSQL features over the years, including support for JSON, key-value stores, and graph databases. PostgreSQL supports both document-based and key-value storage models, allowing developers to store data as per their requirement.

One of the key features that make PostgreSQL a great choice for NoSQL workloads is its support for native JSON data types. PostgreSQL provides a JSON data type that supports the full JSON specification, allowing developers to store and query JSON documents natively. PostgreSQL also provides a rich set of functions for working with JSON data, including indexing, searching, and aggregation.

In addition to JSON support, PostgreSQL also provides support for key-value stores and graph databases through extensions. The popular key-value store Redis, for example, can be used as a storage engine within PostgreSQL, providing fast and efficient storage and retrieval of key-value pairs. The graph database Neo4j can also be integrated with PostgreSQL, allowing developers to store and query graph data natively within the database.

MySQL

MySQL, on the other hand, has also made strides in providing NoSQL functionality, but its support is limited compared to PostgreSQL. MySQL provides support for JSON data types, but the support is limited to storage and retrieval of JSON data. MySQL lacks support for indexing and querying JSON data natively, making it difficult to use MySQL as a NoSQL database.

MySQL also lacks support for other NoSQL models such as key-value stores and graph databases. Although MySQL provides support for spatial data types, it lacks support for other advanced data types such as arrays, maps, and sets.

Conclusion

PostgreSQL and MySQL are both great relational databases, but when it comes to NoSQL support, PostgreSQL has better support for NoSQL functionality. PostgreSQL provides a rich set of features for working with NoSQL data, including native support for JSON, key-value stores, and graph databases.