Question

What are the main differences between Aurora MySQL and Aurora PostgreSQL?

Answer 1

Amazon Aurora offers two different database engines: Aurora MySQL and Aurora PostgreSQL. While both are part of the Amazon Aurora service and share many underlying features, they have distinct differences based on their respective database engines (MySQL and PostgreSQL). Here are the main differences:

Compatibility

1. Database Compatibility:

   • Aurora MySQL: Compatible with MySQL, supporting MySQL 5.6, 5.7, and 8.0.
   • Aurora PostgreSQL: Compatible with PostgreSQL, supporting versions 9.6, 10, 11, 12, 13, and newer releases.

2. SQL Syntax and Functions:

   • Aurora MySQL: Uses MySQL-specific SQL syntax and functions.
   • Aurora PostgreSQL: Uses PostgreSQL-specific SQL syntax and functions.

Performance

1. Throughput:
   • Aurora MySQL: Designed to deliver up to five times the throughput of standard MySQL databases.
   • Aurora PostgreSQL: Designed to deliver up to three times the throughput of standard PostgreSQL databases.

Extensions and Features

1. Extensions:

   • Aurora MySQL: Supports MySQL plugins and third-party tools compatible with MySQL.
   • Aurora PostgreSQL: Supports a wide range of PostgreSQL extensions, such as PostGIS for geographic information systems, and other third-party PostgreSQL extensions.

2. Features:

   • Aurora MySQL: Includes features like Aurora Read Replicas, Global Databases, and Backtrack for MySQL (which allows users to rollback to a point in time without restoring from a backup).
   • Aurora PostgreSQL: Supports advanced PostgreSQL features like JSONB data types, native full-text search, and procedural languages (PL/pgSQL, PL/Python, etc.).

Ecosystem and Tools

1. Ecosystem:
   • Aurora MySQL: Integrates well with the MySQL ecosystem, including tools like MySQL Workbench, and supports MySQL-compatible applications and drivers.
   • Aurora PostgreSQL: Integrates well with the PostgreSQL ecosystem, including tools like pgAdmin, and supports PostgreSQL-compatible applications and drivers.

Usage Scenarios

1. Use Cases:
   • Aurora MySQL: Preferred for applications already using MySQL or those requiring the specific features and performance enhancements of Aurora MySQL.
   • Aurora PostgreSQL: Preferred for applications already using PostgreSQL or those requiring advanced features like complex queries, advanced indexing, and extensive support for data types.

Replication and Cloning

1. Replication:

   • Aurora MySQL: Supports Aurora Replicas and cross-region replication.
   • Aurora PostgreSQL: Supports Aurora Replicas and Global Databases for cross-region replication.

2. Cloning:

   • Aurora MySQL: Fast database cloning for quick creation of development and test environments.
   • Aurora PostgreSQL: Similar fast database cloning capabilities as Aurora MySQL.

High Availability and Durability

Both engines provide high availability and durability features, including multi-AZ deployments, automatic failover, and continuous backup to Amazon S3.

Cost

While the pricing model for both Aurora MySQL and Aurora PostgreSQL is similar, the actual cost may vary based on the specific use case, workload characteristics, and the chosen instance types and storage options.

The choice between Aurora MySQL and Aurora PostgreSQL typically depends on the specific requirements of the application, existing database infrastructure, and the familiarity of the development and operations teams with MySQL or PostgreSQL. Both engines offer robust, scalable, and high-performance managed database solutions within the AWS ecosystem.