5.1. Overview of SQL Databases
-
MySQL
- Runs on UNIXes and NTs.
- Very fast, especially for very small loads.
- Incredibly limited and not easily extensible.
- GPLed
-
Client library used to be LGPLed, but became GPLed in version 4.x
and above. (this was a controversial move).
-
PotgreSQL
- Runs on UNIXes and NT.
- Flexible, but still has some limitations.
- Open-Source (BSD license)
-
Firebird - supports
the whole SQL 92' standard. Open-Source. Not as widely accepted as
MySQL and PostgreSQL, and not as fast.
-
MaxDB - another
database made open-source (GPL with client library as GPL).
-
Oracle - A commercial, proprietary
solution that costs quite a bit, but is quite fast, and supports many features
other databases don't.
-
SQLite - a file-based SQL database
system. Very lightweight and fast, but non-networked. Public Domain.
Others
Refer to this Freshmeat
Editorial about the subject.
Written by Shlomi Fish