PostgreSQL for advanced features and complex queries, MySQL for simplicity and broad compatibility. Both are excellent open-source databases but follow different philosophies. PostgreSQL prioritizes correctness, SQL standard compliance, and advanced features. MySQL prioritizes simplicity, speed for basic operations, and broad hosting support. For new projects, PostgreSQL is almost always the better choice.
PostgreSQL Advantages¶
- JSONB with indexes — semi-structured data with GIN indexes, queries directly in SQL
- Advanced types — arrays, hstore, range, composite types, custom domains
- CTE, window functions, lateral joins — advanced analytical queries
- PostGIS for geospatial data — the most complete open-source GIS solution
- Better concurrent writes (MVCC) — row-level locking without read-write blocking
PostgreSQL offers a more robust type system, a better query optimizer for complex queries, and an extensions ecosystem that expands functionality without forking the database. pg_vector for vector search, TimescaleDB for time-series, Citus for horizontal scaling.
MySQL Advantages¶
- Simpler setup and management — less configuration, faster startup
- Faster for simple read-heavy workloads — optimized for SELECTs without joins
- Wide hosting support — shared hosting, managed services, cPanel integration
- WordPress, Laravel, LAMP stack — dominant in the PHP ecosystem
MySQL is the default choice for WordPress and PHP frameworks due to historical compatibility and broad support from hosting providers. For these specific use cases, it is the right choice.
Performance¶
- Simple SELECTs: MySQL slightly faster due to a simpler parser
- Complex queries: PostgreSQL significantly better optimizer, parallel query execution
- Concurrent writes: PostgreSQL better due to MVCC (MySQL InnoDB has row-level locking but a different MVCC model)
- Full-text search: both support it, PostgreSQL more flexible with tsvector and ranking
PostgreSQL for New Projects¶
MySQL for WordPress/LAMP stack where ecosystem compatibility is key. PostgreSQL for everything else — new applications, analytics, geospatial data, JSON workloads.