The PostgreSQL database is based on the object-relational database model unlike MySQL, which is a relational database system. PostgreSQL is somewhere between the relational and the object-oriented database systems. Object-relational databases like Postgres might appear slightly more difficult for management but enable the creation of more complex data.
The PostgreSQL database management system is fully-featured free software available for most operating systems including Linux, Windows, Mac OS, FreeBSD, and Solaris. It is entirely ACID (Atomicity, Consistency, Isolation, Durability)-compliant, and that guarantees the reliability of the database. PostgreSQL provides great security with easy backup and Point In Time Recovery options, as well as SSL encrypted communication over the database. The database also enables the usage of various programming languages.
PostgreSQL or MySQL?
Both MySQL and PostgreSQL are very powerful free tools with minor differences and which one you will choose largely depends on the tasks you are using your database for and your personal preferences. However, there are some dissimilarities that could be pointed out: MySQL isn’t fully ACID-compliant and this depends on the storage engine you are using with it. Still, there are various storage engines that can be used with MySQL, thus adding to the flexibility of the database. PostgreSQL runs on one storage engine but offers full support for asynchronous command processing that’s not fully available for MySQL. Postgres is also more powerful in terms of triggers, which are supported by both databases. Nevertheless, MySQL triggers execute SQL statements only, while PostgreSQL works with any user-defined functions on each of its procedural programming languages but they are harder to learn. Postgres also supports multiple trigger actions and many triggers of the same type while MySQL doesn’t. Postgres has much wider data type support and partial indexes support. On the other hand, MySQL supports more types of horizontal partitioning than PostgreSQL.