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Apache Drill VS PostgreSQL

Compare Apache Drill VS PostgreSQL and see what are their differences

Apache Drill logo Apache Drill

Schema-Free SQL Query Engine for Hadoop and NoSQL

PostgreSQL logo PostgreSQL

PostgreSQL is a powerful, open source object-relational database system.
  • Apache Drill Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-06-17
  • PostgreSQL Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-21

Apache Drill features and specs

  • Schema-Free JSON Querying
    Apache Drill is designed to handle schema-less data, allowing users to query JSON and other flexible schemas without needing pre-defined structures. This flexibility makes it ideal for exploring semi-structured data on the fly.
  • SQL Interface
    Drill offers a user-friendly SQL interface, making it accessible for users familiar with traditional SQL databases. This allows professionals to leverage their existing SQL skills to interact with big data ecosystems.
  • High Performance
    With its ability to efficiently process queries on large datasets, Apache Drill is optimized for high-performance analytics and interactive queries, making it suitable for rapid insights and data exploration.
  • Integration with Multiple Data Sources
    Apache Drill can natively connect to a wide variety of data sources, including Hadoop, NoSQL databases, and cloud storage systems. This integration provides a unified view of diverse datasets without extensive ETL processes.
  • Dynamic Query Optimization
    Drill performs on-the-fly query optimization based on the available data and resource conditions, helping ensure efficient query execution and reduced latency.

Possible disadvantages of Apache Drill

  • Memory Intensive
    Apache Drill can be memory-intensive, especially when handling complex queries or very large datasets. This requires substantial hardware resources for optimal performance, which can be cost-prohibitive.
  • Lack of Mature Support and Community
    Compared to some other open-source projects, Apache Drill does not have as extensive a support network or community. This can make troubleshooting and finding community-driven solutions more challenging.
  • Limited Built-in Security Features
    While Apache Drill supports authentication and encryption, it lacks more granular access controls and advanced security features found in some competing platforms, posing potential risks in highly regulated environments.
  • Steep Learning Curve for Modifications
    For users wanting to extend or modify Apache Drill's capabilities beyond its core functions, the learning curve can be steep due to its architecture and the need for in-depth technical knowledge.
  • Updates and Active Development
    Although Apache Drill is actively developed, the pace of updates may not be as rapid or extensive as newer systems, which might delay the adoption of the latest data processing features and technologies.

PostgreSQL features and specs

  • Open Source
    PostgreSQL is an open-source database management system, which means it is free to use, modify, and distribute. This reduces the cost of database management for individuals and organizations.
  • ACID Compliance
    PostgreSQL is fully ACID (Atomicity, Consistency, Isolation, Durability) compliant, ensuring reliable transactions and data integrity.
  • Extensible
    PostgreSQL is highly extensible, allowing users to add custom functions, data types, and operators. This enables tailored solutions to specific requirements.
  • Advanced SQL Features
    PostgreSQL supports advanced SQL features like full-text search, JSON and XML data types, and complex queries, providing powerful tools for database operations.
  • Community Support
    There is a strong and active community around PostgreSQL, offering extensive documentation, forums, and collaborative support, which aids troubleshooting and development.
  • Multiple Indexing Techniques
    PostgreSQL offers a variety of indexing techniques such as B-tree, GIN, GiST, and BRIN, allowing for optimized query performance on various data types.
  • Cross-Platform Availability
    PostgreSQL runs on all major operating systems (Windows, MacOS, Linux, Unix), giving flexibility in deployment and development environments.

Possible disadvantages of PostgreSQL

  • Complex Configuration
    Setting up and configuring PostgreSQL can be complex and time-consuming, especially for beginners, requiring a good understanding of its parameters and best practices.
  • Heavy Resource Consumption
    PostgreSQL can be resource-intensive, consuming significant CPU and memory compared to other database systems, which may affect performance on lower-end hardware.
  • Backup and Restore Process
    The backup and restore process in PostgreSQL is not as straightforward as in some other database systems, requiring more manual intervention and understanding of tools like pg_dump and pg_restore.
  • Replication Complexity
    While PostgreSQL supports replication, setting it up can be more complex than some other databases. Advanced configurations like multi-master replication can be particularly challenging.
  • Steeper Learning Curve
    Due to its advanced features and extensive capabilities, PostgreSQL can have a steeper learning curve, making it harder for new users to get started compared to simpler database systems.
  • Less Third-Party Tool Support
    PostgreSQL has less support from third-party tools compared to more widely adopted databases like MySQL, which can limit options for auxiliary functions like administration, monitoring, and development.

Analysis of PostgreSQL

Overall verdict

  • Yes, PostgreSQL is considered a high-quality and reliable database management system, suitable for a wide range of applications, from small-scale personal projects to large enterprise systems.

Why this product is good

  • PostgreSQL is known for its strong support of SQL standards and excellent documentation, making it reliable for complex database requirements.
  • It provides advanced features such as multi-version concurrency control (MVCC), point-in-time recovery, and support for advanced indexing techniques.
  • PostgreSQL offers robust performance optimization options, powerful extensions, and a highly customizable platform.
  • It has a strong open-source community, ensuring ongoing improvements and support.
  • PostgreSQL is compatible with popular development frameworks and languages, enhancing its versatility.

Recommended for

  • Organizations seeking a scalable and stable database solution with strong compliance with SQL standards.
  • Developers who need advanced features like custom data types and indexing capabilities.
  • Projects requiring robust transactional integrity and data consistency.
  • Businesses looking for a cost-effective open-source database solution with active community support.

Apache Drill videos

Using Apache Drill

More videos:

  • Review - Drilling into Data with Apache Drill
  • Review - Apache Drill and the Coolness of Big JSON - Jonathan Janos (MapR)

PostgreSQL videos

Comparison of PostgreSQL and MongoDB

More videos:

  • Review - PostgreSQL Review
  • Review - MySQL vs PostgreSQL - Why you shouldn't use MySQL

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Apache Drill and PostgreSQL)
Databases
3 3%
97% 97
Relational Databases
3 3%
97% 97
Tool
4 4%
96% 96
Data Warehousing
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Apache Drill and PostgreSQL

Apache Drill Reviews

We have no reviews of Apache Drill yet.
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PostgreSQL Reviews

Database Management Systems (DBMS) Comparison: SQL Server, MySQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, Oracle
Choosing the right database management system (DBMS) is a crucial decision that directly impacts your project’s performance and scalability. With a variety of options — SQL Server, MySQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, Oracle, and more — each offering unique features and capabilities, it’s important to carefully match the type of database software to your specific needs. Consider...
Source: blog.devart.com
20 Best Database Management Software and Tools of 2026
Yes, several tools, such as MySQL, PostgreSQL, and MongoDB, offer free versions. While these are robust, enterprise editions or add-ons may come with additional costs for advanced features and support.
Source: infomineo.com
Data Warehouse Tools
Peliqan acts as a bridge, allowing you to e.g. effortlessly pull your PostgreSQL data into Google Sheets for easy access and analysis using its one-click connector. Additionally, Peliqan’s platform provides a user-friendly environment for data exploration, transformation with Magical SQL, and visualization capabilities, all without needing to switch between multiple tools.
Source: peliqan.io
Top 5 BigQuery Alternatives: A Challenge of Complexity
For over three decades, the open-source object-relational database system PostgreSQL has maintained its reputation as a top SQL server due to its features, performance, and reliability. (Heck, Redshift is even based on Postgres!) It's the go-to database solution for large corporations and organizations across a variety of industries from ecommerce to gaming to...
Source: blog.panoply.io
10 Best Database Management Software Of 2022 [+ Examples]
Applications Manager offers out-of-the-box health and performance monitoring for 20 popular databases including RDBMS, NoSQL, in-memory, distributed, and big data stores. It supports both commercial databases such as Oracle, Microsoft SQL, IBM DB2, and MongoDB as well as open source ones like MySQL and PostgreSQL.
Source: theqalead.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, PostgreSQL should be more popular than Apache Drill. It has been mentiond 19 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Apache Drill mentions (3)

  • Git Query Language (GQL) Aggregation Functions, Groups, Alias
    Also are you familiar with apache drill . The idea is to put an SQL interpreter in front of any kind of database just like you are doing for git here. Source: about 3 years ago
  • Roapi: An API Server for Static Datasets
    Looks super interesting and potentially useful. Curious how it compares with Apache Drill (https://drill.apache.org/). - Source: Hacker News / almost 5 years ago
  • Does Java have an open source package that can execute SQL on txt/csv?
    Check out Apache Drill: https://drill.apache.org/. Source: almost 5 years ago

PostgreSQL mentions (19)

  • Create an API - Project Setup
    In this new series we will be creating an API written in go, using a framework like Chi, connecting to a PostgreSQL, and have it deployed to a site like Railway. - Source: dev.to / 5 months ago
  • PostgreSQL vs MySQL 2026: Which Database Wins for Modern Apps?
    PostgreSQL 17 Performance Guide — Official docs for the latest performance improvements. - Source: dev.to / 6 months ago
  • #5 - 'The Power of [Separation] Compels You!'
    You also might be saying, Why not include the credit and attribution data with the product data and just use one data file? Thats a great question. I could have for the purpose of this demo, but if there were a backend to this project and a relational database like PostgreSQL attached to it, I would still have both sets of data in separate tables in the database. By using a foreign key between related records in... - Source: dev.to / 12 months ago
  • Convert insert mutation to upsert
    In this quick post, we’ll walk through implementing an Upsert operation in Hasura using PostgreSQL and GraphQL. - Source: dev.to / almost 2 years ago
  • Perfect Elixir: Environment Setup
    I’m on MacOS and erlang.org, elixir-lang.org, and postgresql.org all suggest installation via Homebrew, which is a very popular package manager for MacOS. - Source: dev.to / over 2 years ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing Apache Drill and PostgreSQL, you can also consider the following products

Apache Calcite - Relational Databases

MySQL - The world's most popular open source database

Microsoft SQL - Microsoft SQL is a best in class relational database management software that facilitates the database server to provide you a primary function to store and retrieve data.

SQLite - SQLite Home Page

Oracle Database 12c - Simplify database management and automate the information lifecycle with maximum security.

Oracle DBaaS - See how Oracle Database 12c enables businesses to plug into the cloud and power the real-time enterprise.