Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

JanusGraph VS PlanetScale

Compare JanusGraph VS PlanetScale and see what are their differences

JanusGraph logo JanusGraph

JanusGraph is a scalable graph database optimized for storing and querying graphs.

PlanetScale logo PlanetScale

The last database you'll ever need. Go from idea to IPO.
  • JanusGraph Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-03-29
  • PlanetScale Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-15

JanusGraph features and specs

  • Scalability
    JanusGraph is designed to support large-scale graph data processing, allowing it to handle huge graphs distributed across multiple machines effectively.
  • Compatibility
    It is compatible with various storage backends (like HBase, Apache Cassandra, and Google Bigtable) and indexing backends (such as Elasticsearch and Solr), providing flexibility in integration.
  • APIs and Queries
    JanusGraph supports the TinkerPop stack, enabling developers to use powerful graph traversal language Gremlin for query operations.
  • Open Source
    Being open-source, JanusGraph benefits from community contributions and offers transparency and extensibility to users.
  • Transaction Support
    It provides ACID transactions, ensuring reliability and consistency in graph operations.

Possible disadvantages of JanusGraph

  • Complexity
    The configuration and optimization of JanusGraph can be complex due to its support for multiple backends and the various configurations required for different setups.
  • Performance Variability
    Performance can vary significantly depending on the chosen backend datastore and its configuration, requiring careful consideration and tuning.
  • Operational Overhead
    Managing the infrastructure, especially when using distributed storage solutions, can introduce significant operational overhead.
  • Community and Support
    While it is open source, the community is not as vast or active as some other database technologies, which may limit available support and resources.
  • Resource Intensity
    Running JanusGraph with large datasets and multiple distributed nodes can require substantial resources, both in terms of hardware and maintenance.

PlanetScale features and specs

  • Scalability
    PlanetScale is designed for massive scale, leveraging the Vitess engine that powers YouTube. This makes it suitable for applications requiring high scalability for both read and write operations.
  • Global Distribution
    Offers multi-region deployment, ensuring low-latency access and higher availability, beneficial for globally distributed applications.
  • Serverless Approach
    The platform takes a serverless approach to database management, which means automatic scaling, less infrastructure to manage, and potential cost savings.
  • Branching and Sharding
    Supports database branching for isolated environments like development, testing, and production. It also supports sharding, which helps in distributing data across multiple nodes for better performance and reliability.
  • High Availability
    PlanetScale provides high availability with automated failover mechanisms, ensuring minimal downtime.
  • Strong Data Integrity
    Uses Vitess’s strong consistency models to ensure data integrity across distributed systems.
  • Developer Friendly
    Includes tools and features that make it easier for developers to manage, such as automatic migrations and simplified schema management.
  • Integration
    Can be easily integrated with various cloud service providers, making it flexible for different deployment environments.

Possible disadvantages of PlanetScale

  • Learning Curve
    The platform comes with a learning curve, especially for teams unfamiliar with Vitess or managing distributed databases.
  • Cost
    While it can offer cost savings in some areas, the pricing for large-scale deployments and multi-region setups can be relatively high.
  • Complexity of Advanced Features
    Advanced features like sharding and branching can add complexity to the database management operations.
  • Limited Ecosystem
    Compared to more established databases, the ecosystem and community around PlanetScale might be smaller, which can affect the availability of third-party tools and community support.
  • Vendor Lock-in
    Using a proprietary platform can lead to vendor lock-in, making it harder to switch to other database services if needed.
  • Early-stage Platform
    While promising, PlanetScale is relatively new compared to some other established database services, which means it may lack some maturity or have bugs that older platforms have ironed out.

JanusGraph videos

Ted Wilmes on the state of JanusGraph 2018

More videos:

  • Review - Incorporating JanusGraph into your Scylla Ecosystem

PlanetScale videos

PlanetScale Beta - Release Radar

More videos:

  • Review - Using PlanetScale (MySQL) with Next.js and Vercel!
  • Review - PlanetScale and Prisma: building in the cloud - Nick Van Wiggeren | Prisma Day 2021

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to JanusGraph and PlanetScale)
Databases
24 24%
76% 76
NoSQL Databases
100 100%
0% 0
Developer Tools
0 0%
100% 100
Graph Databases
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, PlanetScale seems to be a lot more popular than JanusGraph. While we know about 102 links to PlanetScale, we've tracked only 2 mentions of JanusGraph. 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.

JanusGraph mentions (2)

  • Graph Databases vs Relational Databases: What and why?
    First, you need to choose a specific graph database platform to work with, such as Neo4j, OrientDB, JanusGraph, Arangodb or Amazon Neptune. Once you have selected a platform, you can then start working with graph data using the platform's query language. - Source: dev.to / about 2 years ago
  • QOMPLX: Using Scylla with JanusGraph for Cybersecurity
    QOMPLX partnered with the graph database experts at Expero to implement their system with JanusGraph, which uses Scylla as an underlying fast and scalable storage layer. We had the privilege to learn from their use case at Scylla Summit this January, which we share with you today. Source: about 4 years ago

PlanetScale mentions (102)

  • Ask HN: What's the best free database provider out there?
    Https://planetscale.com/ would be a good bet. - Source: Hacker News / 9 days ago
  • List of 45 databases in the world
    PlanetScale — Serverless database platform built on MySQL and Vitess. - Source: dev.to / 10 months ago
  • Good alternatives to Heroku
    Planetscale - Directly from their website: "PlanetScale is a MySQL-compatible serverless database that brings you scale, performance, and reliability — without sacrificing developer experience.". - Source: dev.to / 11 months ago
  • MySQL or Top Alternatives in 2024 and How to Choose One
    PlanetScale is a MySQL-compatible database that offers scale, performance, and reliability, and many more powerful database features. Leveraging cloud-native architecture, PlanetScale enables organizations to deploy, manage, and scale MySQL-compatible databases with ease. With features such as automatic sharding, distributed transactions, and high availability, PlanetScale enables businesses to handle large... - Source: dev.to / 12 months ago
  • Breaking the Myth: Scalable, Multi-Region, Low-Latency App Exists And Will Not Cost You A Kidney.
    For MySQL, we've got PlanetScale, and for PostgreSQL, there's Neon. - Source: dev.to / about 1 year ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing JanusGraph and PlanetScale, you can also consider the following products

neo4j - Meet Neo4j: The graph database platform powering today's mission-critical enterprise applications, including artificial intelligence, fraud detection and recommendations.

Datahike - A durable datalog database adaptable for distribution.

ArangoDB - A distributed open-source database with a flexible data model for documents, graphs, and key-values.

Datomic - The fully transactional, cloud-ready, distributed database

Apache TinkerPop - Apache TinkerPop is a graph computing framework for both graph databases (OLTP) and graph analytic systems (OLAP).

MarkLogic Server - MarkLogic Server is a multi-model database that has both NoSQL and trusted enterprise data management capabilities.