How to Choose the Right Database for Your Application
Database choice affects performance, scalability, and developer experience. PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB — each fits different use cases. Here's how to choose.
Quick Recommendation
PostgreSQL: Default for most apps. Relational, JSON support, strong. MySQL: Read-heavy, widely used. MongoDB: Flexible schema, document model. Redis: Cache, sessions, queues.
Table of Contents
- Relational (PostgreSQL, MySQL)
- Document (MongoDB)
- Cache (Redis)
- When to Choose
- Frequently Asked Questions
Relational (PostgreSQL, MySQL)
Tables, rows, relationships. ACID. Best for: users, orders, transactions. PostgreSQL: our default. MySQL: read-heavy, simpler. See our Database Design guide.
Document (MongoDB)
JSON documents. Flexible schema. Best for: content, catalogs, event logs. Less ideal for complex joins.
Cache (Redis)
In-memory. Sessions, cache, queues. Use alongside primary DB, not as primary.
When to Choose
- PostgreSQL: Default for most. Relational data, transactions.
- MySQL: Team preference, read-heavy.
- MongoDB: Flexible schema, rapid iteration.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can we use multiple databases?
Yes. PostgreSQL for primary data, Redis for cache, Elasticsearch for search. Polyglot persistence is common at scale.