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PostgreSQL VS EdgeDB

Compare PostgreSQL VS EdgeDB and see what are their differences

PostgreSQL logo PostgreSQL

PostgreSQL is a powerful, open source object-relational database system.

EdgeDB logo EdgeDB

EdgeDB is a next-generation graph-relational database that lets you easily build flexible, scalable applications in real-time.
  • PostgreSQL Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-21
  • EdgeDB Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-10

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.

EdgeDB features and specs

  • Graph-Relational Model
    EdgeDB combines the features of relational and graph databases, allowing for complex queries and relationships while maintaining data integrity typical in relational databases.
  • Advanced Query Language (EdgeQL)
    EdgeQL offers a more intuitive and expressive query syntax compared to traditional SQL, facilitating easier and more efficient data retrieval.
  • Schema Evolution
    EdgeDB provides robust tools for schema migrations and versioning, making it easier to evolve the database schema without downtime or data loss.
  • Type Safety
    With its strong typing system, EdgeDB reduces runtime errors by ensuring data type consistency across the database operations.
  • Integrated Indexing and Constraints
    EdgeDB supports advanced indexing and constraints, improving query performance and maintaining data integrity natively.

Possible disadvantages of EdgeDB

  • Relative Newness
    Being relatively new in the market, EdgeDB might lack extensive community support and third-party integrations compared to more established databases.
  • Learning Curve
    Technicians accustomed to traditional SQL or other database paradigms might face a learning curve when adapting to EdgeDB's unique features and query language.
  • Limited Ecosystem
    EdgeDB's ecosystem, including tooling, documentation, and community resources, is less mature compared to other well-established database systems.
  • Potential for Rapid Changes
    As a developing technology, EdgeDB may undergo rapid changes and updates, which may lead to instability or additional maintenance overhead.
  • Hosting and Compatibility Concerns
    Deploying EdgeDB might have specific hosting requirements, and compatibility with existing infrastructure could be a concern for some users.

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.

PostgreSQL videos

Comparison of PostgreSQL and MongoDB

More videos:

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

EdgeDB videos

Checking out EdgeDB - The Developer Database (Better than Prisma ORM?!)

More videos:

  • Review - EdgeDB 2.0 Launch
  • Review - The architecture of EdgeDB โ€”ย Fantix King | EdgeDB Day

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to PostgreSQL and EdgeDB)
Databases
92 92%
8% 8
Relational Databases
97 97%
3% 3
NoSQL Databases
82 82%
18% 18
Tool
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 PostgreSQL and EdgeDB

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 projectโ€™s performance and scalability. With a variety of options โ€” SQL Server, MySQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, Oracle, and more โ€” each offering unique features and capabilities, itโ€™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, Peliqanโ€™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

EdgeDB Reviews

We have no reviews of EdgeDB yet.
Be the first one to post

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, PostgreSQL should be more popular than EdgeDB. 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.

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 โ€” Official docs for the latest performance improvements. - Source: dev.to / 5 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 / 11 months ago
  • Convert insert mutation to upsert
    In this quick post, weโ€™ll walk through implementing an Upsert operation in Hasura using PostgreSQL and GraphQL. - Source: dev.to / almost 2 years ago
  • Perfect Elixir: Environment Setup
    Iโ€™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
View more

EdgeDB mentions (4)

  • Beyond SQL: A relational database for modern applications
    A new DB, with a new query language that's like "SQL done right"? This immediately reminded me of EdgeDB: https://edgedb.com/ Is there anyone here who knows enough about these two products to do a compare/contrast? - Source: Hacker News / almost 3 years ago
  • Beyond SQL: A relational database for modern applications
    See also https://edgedb.com/ which is another relational database without sql. - Source: Hacker News / almost 3 years ago
  • DuckDB 0.8.0
    >relational no-sql Do you mean something like edgeDB?[0] Or do you mean some non-declarative language completely? I don't see the latter making much sense. The issue with SQL for me is the "natural language" which quickly loses all intended readabilty when you have SELECT col1, col2 FROM (SELECT * FROM ... WHERE 1=0 AND ... Which is what edgeDB is trying to solve. [0]https://edgedb.com/. - Source: Hacker News / about 3 years ago
  • GraphQL Is a Trap?
    You have to do your own optimiser to avoid, for instance, the N+1 query problem. (Just Google that, plenty of explanations around.) Many GraphQL frameworks have a โ€œnaiveโ€ subquery implementation that performs N individual subqueries. You either have to override this for each parent/child pairing, or bolt something on the back to delay all the โ€œSELECT * FROM tbl_subquery WHERE id = ?โ€ operations and convert them... - Source: Hacker News / over 4 years ago

What are some alternatives?

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

MySQL - The world's most popular open source database

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

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

SQLite - SQLite Home Page

Valentina Server - Valentina Server is 3 in 1: Valentina DB Server / SQLite Server / Report Server