What Is an Open Source Database?
An open source database is a database solution where the source code is freely available for use and customization. The developer community maintains and adds features to open source code as a not-for-profit endeavor to make technology freely accessible for global innovation. Open source databases allow everyone to get started with application development; however, they require technical expertise and infrastructure management to set up and run at scale.
What is the difference between closed source and open source databases?
Closed source databases are built, maintained, and licensed by commercial database providers. For example, Microsoft SQL Server is a proprietary, closed source database management system.
Restrictions
Unlike an open source database, the underlying source code of a closed-source database is owned by the database vendor. This means developers cannot make changes or customize a closed-source database beyond what the vendor allows.
Vendor lock-in
Using a closed-source database often entails vendor lock-in, with organizations becoming dependent on the vendor’s tooling and related solutions. Switching to another database system can be complex, costly, and time-consuming, particularly once it is integrated into business operations.
Costs
An open source database is available for free download for commercial use. Meanwhile, companies must pay to license and store data in a closed-source database.
Setup
Setting up a closed-source database is a straightforward process. In contrast, you may need assistance with provisioning an open source database, as the steps involved are more complex.
Support
When using a closed source database, development teams enjoy direct support from the vendor. For example, you can submit a feature request, which will be implemented in subsequent updates. Meanwhile, there is no official support for open source databases, which means you’re dependent on the community to solve problems.
Database vendors often create their own distributions of open source databases and offer technical support services.
What are some examples of open source databases?
Open source databases help software developers store various types of data at minimal initial costs. Generally, they are grouped into two categories—relational and non-relational.
- Relational databases enable developers to organize information into tables with columns and rows, supporting features such as keys, relationships, and stored procedures.
- Non-relational databases store unstructured or semi-structured data in alternative formats, such as graphics, documents, and large numbers of columns.
Depending on project requirements and data types, developers might use a relational or non-relational database. Below, we share common databases that you can start with.
MySQL
MySQL is a popular open source relational database management system. Software teams choose MySQL because it can reliably handle high volumes of transactions. MySQL is designed to support ACID transactions. ACID means atomicity, consistency, isolation, and durability. They are qualities that ensure transactions remain consistent and accurate even as volume increases.
MariaDB
MariaDB is a free database meant initially to replace MySQL. Like MySQL, MariaDB supports relational databases and ACID-compliant transactions. However, MariaDB can also store non-structured data, which expands its use cases. Designed to handle fast-paced, complex transactions, MariaDB is commonly used in web and ecommerce applications.
PostgreSQL
PostgreSQL is a powerful object-relational database management system. Developed by the PostgreSQL Global Development Group, the database supports both SQL and NoSQL queries. Besides handling common transactional data, PostgreSQL can perform complex queries, which makes it suitable for analytics applications, data warehousing, and machine learning projects.
Are NoSQL databases open source?
NoSQL databases are database systems that store data in non-relational structures. Many NoSQL databases are available at no cost. For example, you can download NoSQL key value stores and databases like Valkey, Memcached, and MongoDB for free. These databases allow developers to store, manipulate, and manage unstructured data at scale.
However, MongoDB is not considered a truly open source database. Open source databases are licensed under copyleft licenses such as the General Public License (GPL), which allows users to freely use, modify, and distribute the software for commercial purposes.
MongoDB, meanwhile, is licensed under the Server Side Public License (SSPL). If someone offers MongoDB as a service, they must make the entire software source code, including the MongoDB database, publicly available. Because of this, the Open Source Initiative (OSI) doesn’t recognize SSPL as open source. Hence, MongoDB is considered source-available instead of open source.
When should you use an open source database?
An open source database can store data for many types of applications, including content management systems, messaging systems, enterprise applications, and custom applications. With an open source database, you can save costs, be more flexible, and avoid vendor lock-in when building software.
However, technical support can be limited. Moreover, you should exercise caution when considering the use of an open-source database for SaaS products. Some free databases are not licensed for commercial distribution or have limited production uses.
For example, MongoDB uses the Server Side Public License (SSPL), while MariaDB uses the Business Source License (BSL), which impose legal restrictions. If you offer the database along with cloud-hosted software, you’ll violate the commercial license unless you seek a prior agreement with the vendor.
What are the benefits of open source databases?
Fast-growing companies and large enterprises often choose open source databases for these reasons.
Low cost.
Open source databases are free to use, which means you don’t need to pay a fee or subscription.
Community support
Extensive tools and community support. Developers are actively contributing to new features, updates, and responding to bug reports, which accelerates database improvements.
Customization
Developers can modify the database’s source code to meet specific project requirements.
Scalability
Open source databases are built to handle large volumes of concurrent transactions without compromising data integrity.
Security
Developers who use the database continuously vet, report, and fix vulnerabilities they find.
What are the challenges of open source databases?
Despite the advantages that open source databases offer, they may not be suitable in certain use cases. Below, we outline common challenges that developers encounter when utilizing open source database systems.
Limited support.
There is no guarantee that you will receive timely and professional support. However, some vendors release their own distributions of open source databases, which typically provide support.
Complex setup
It might take more time and effort than expected to install, configure, and get an open source database operational. Cloud providers like AWS address these challenges by allowing you to set up open source compatible databases as managed services.
How can AWS support your open source database requirements?
AWS offers cloud-managed database services that help organizations store, manage, and analyze data affordably. Instead of setting up databases from scratch, we automatically provision them for you, enabling you to build innovative, data-driven applications on the go.
- Amazon RDS for MySQL allows you to set up, operate, and scale MySQL databases with cost-efficient cloud infrastructure.
- Amazon RDS for PostgreSQL provides access to the familiar open source database engine without the time-consuming setup.
- Amazon Aurora provides unparalleled high performance and availability at global scale for PostgreSQL, MySQL, and DSQL.
- Amazon ElastiCache is a fully managed caching service for running key-value data stores like Valkey, Memcached, and Redis OSS with microsecond latency.
Get started with open source database infrastructure on AWS by creating a free account today.