What Is a Virtual Server?
Infrastructure
07.10.2021
10 min read
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Let’s talk about virtual servers. About powerful PC’s with "hardware" shared between many users who want to create their own site or application.
We will get deeper into how these servers work, what they are capable of, how they are different from regular servers, and how to choose the best one.
The idea behind a virtual server is the same as the one behind an ordinary physical server. It is a place somewhere in the data centers around the world where webmasters and developers store files of their websites and applications.
In general, servers are a 24/7 working PC with all the data necessary data to maintain a website or another project that needs to be accessible by users around the world.
The main distinctive feature of virtual servers lies in their implementation. It uses so-called virtualization technology that makes possible the emulation of many computers on one physical machine. That way we have one powerful PC but a lot of space to create virtual ones within it, so hosting providers (who maintain servers in datacenters) don’t have to buy more hardware to extend the service to other users.
How do virtual servers work?
As we mentioned earlier — in the core of virtual servers sits technology called "virtualization". There are various types which differ in technical specifications but mainly perform the same tasks.
This virtual server is a complex program (hypervisor) imitating a full-fledged OS with BIOS and other low-level stuff. Practically, it gives users fully functional "hardware" that they can use as their own computer. But the "hardware" is not actually hardware in a real sense. It is merely equipment virtualized into a PC and shared between many webmasters and developers using the same hosting provider.
What are virtual servers used for?
Like any server, virtual servers are used to store data from different projects such as:
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Informational platforms and online stores (most of them have to have a database that also needs a server).
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Databases with private information to be used inside a company making it possible to share some data and keep it hidden from the outside.
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Platforms created to test software within the team or in person (when the local machine is not powerful enough).
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Setups that are made to work with complex systems like Odoo.
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Gaming servers (like ones used to host Minecraft personal playable worlds) and mail servers (to obtain full control on sent and received email).
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Systems to implement CCTV (to store a lot of GB’s of recorded videos).
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And of course personal cloud storages. You can use a virtual server as a remote hard disk to store images, videos, audio files, etc.
And yes, even virtualized hardware can deal with everything listed above. Even if a server is being used to the maximum.
What are the benefits of virtual servers?
Talking about the advantages of virtual servers…
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One of the main benefits of virtual servers is that such servers are not as pricey as real physical servers. Logically, virtual PCs cost less than tangible ones. And this is quite an important characteristic of the server because they usually cost a lot of money over the long term. Especially when the site or application is gaining popularity.
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Virtualization brings independence from the physical world. Users have something like an image of a computer that can be seamlessly transported to another hardware platform. It means that even if the hardware part fails it will take a matter of minutes to relaunch your "PC" using another physical server.
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The hosting provider will take care of your virtual server, doing routine stuff like monitoring system conditions and preventing any failures. There’s no need to hire a separate audition team.
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It is a computer with everything you need such as a Firewall, real IP-address, etc.
Disadvantages of virtual server
There are some shortcomings too…
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The performance of a virtual server would be worse than the performance of the same hardware configuration but for factual implementation. In fact, users of VS will get only part of the PC’s equipment; other webmasters and developers will get the rest.
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Even though you have access to many segments of the actual OS, you don’t have an opportunity to interact with the actual hard disc or CPU of the PC. That’s why some functions might be unsupported or inaccessible.
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Usually, hosts revoke some administrator’s permissions from users of a virtual server. So you’ll lose the opportunity to edit any of the system files or any low-level components.
VPS and VDS
We have two abbreviations: VPS and VDS. The first one stands for Virtual Private Server and the second one for Virtual Dedicated Server. Both are the same technologies in general. Both terms mean one of the ways to rent and use a server. But some users see a slight difference in these. So, dedicated server vs the virtual server, which is better?
You might stumble upon the opinion that VPS is a server that works with OpenVZ-technology and VDS with KVM.
OpenVZ — is a software virtualization layer which is installed on Linux Kernel and functions as a copy of that Linux system. You have a lot of virtual PCs but all of them are actually based on one kernel. That brings shortfalls such as an inability to install an OS other than Linux, no way to change the filesystem (ext4 only), software components like PPTP and OpenVPN are restricted, no privacy (the PC administrator has access to your data). But virtual private servers with OpenVZ are ordinarily cheaper.
KVM — is software virtualization implemented by a specific application called hypervisor. This app creates an isolated copy of the system that transforms into your own fully functional PC. This approach brings many privileges: you choose what OS to install, what filesystem to use, you can even control BIOS, and interact with low-level components like sockets and the kernel. But the most important part is security. Only the renter has access to the KVM server. A virtual dedicated server with this technology would be more expensive.
Windows-based virtual servers
You can rent a virtual server with preinstalled Windows Server OS. It will certainly be a KVM-one with almost uncompromising access to any component or chosen virtual PC.
We would recommend this type of VDS for those who for some reason want to or already work with Microsoft’s software:
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You are acquainted with applications like Outlook and Office so you want to continue using them while developing an online working environment for your team or maybe yourself.
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You work with a team that strongly relies on Microsoft’s ecosystem and are used to working with Windows-connected applications only.
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You want to set up a remote working space with a graphical interface.
Also, a virtual server for Windows is a great place to cooperatively develop products with Microsoft’s proprietary technologies like .NET or using specialized applications like Microsoft Visual Studio.
To create a virtual server with Windows you should either rent an "empty" VPS and manually install Windows there as you would do with a regular PC or choose a plan with Windows preinstalled on your host’s website.
Linux-based virtual servers
This one could be using two different technologies: OpenVZ and KVM. You choose.
We would recommend a virtual server with Linux for those who don’t really need any Microsoft software and at the same time want to have a functional and performing platform:
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Those who want to gain more control over the used system.
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Who want to save on renting an expensive and overperforming server using a lightweight Linux-based system with no interface and other "resource hogs".
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Who would like to use VDS to develop or host projects made using web technologies such as Node.js, JavaScript, etc.
Furthermore, Linux is a safer place to store different kinds of data.
To create a Linux virtual server you usually just need to buy a VPS and that’s it. Ubuntu (Linux distributive) is the number one OS pre-installed on servers. So there’s a 99% chance you won’t spend time installing or reinstalling OSes.
Virtual machine vs virtual server
Both are great tools to develop and test software products but in different ways.
A virtual machine is a virtual PC inside your PC. So it is installed locally via a hypervisor that is included with your motherboard and OS. Basically, it is similar to VDS but you’re the host. It uses your machine’s resources and you decide how many resources the server should take.
Why might you want to use a virtual machine instead of a virtual server? For example:
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You have an outstandingly performant computer and a VM would just be a more reliable platform to develop and test your applications.
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You want to save money on renting a VDS.
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Have poor internet connection and in any case, the VM does its job faster.
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Going to work with some confidential data that shouldn’t be stored somewhere on the web.
If that’s not you, a VDS might be a more reliable platform to work with.
Physical servers vs virtual servers
This is fairly straightforward. A physical server is a regular PC that stays somewhere in a data center and never in theory turns off.
Is there a big difference between virtual and actual ones? Not really. Generally, you can use VDS to do all the stuff you can do on a dedicated server. There would be almost no drawbacks. Because, as we pointed out earlier, KVM-technology makes it possible for users of VDS to access even things like BIOS.
The only reason you might want to go with a dedicated server is performance. It will be fast enough to deploy some complex and resource-intensive projects like gaming worlds where it is absolutely necessary to keep things going fast (in terms of CPU and RAM capability and internet connection capability too).
Are there free virtual servers?
Yes, but we wouldn’t recommend using them. Moreover, we would recommend avoiding them.
It seems a great opportunity to host your project on a free server. Nothing to give and a lot to get. But that’s not really true.
Free virtual server hosts will negatively affect your app or website because its hardware and software are usually quite slow. There’s no incentive for such servers to provide adequate speed of loading and operating.
Free servers give you only third-level domains. So you’d have to forget about good SEO scores.
A host would severely limit the amount of free space for your files. Of course, you would never have any control over the server.
The free server is free for you but not for the provider, so don’t be fooled by the "price". The provider will definitely try to make money out of you. For example, he might put an ad on your site or in your app without your consent. Or secretly will sell your confidential data to advertisers.
By using a free server you should be prepared to lose all of your content at any moment without any warning. So, as you can see, the price is high.
How to choose a virtual server?
In choosing a virtual server you must consider 5 key criteria:
Linux or Windows
We discussed it above, so reread that part and decide what OS do you want (or need) to use on your VDS.
Hardware
Modern technologies give hosting providers the ability to serve developers and webmasters with a certain performance level. You may without any hesitation choose VDS based on this information. For small apps and sites, you don’t need a superpowerful PC but you should definitely consider an option with SSD storage.
Geolocation
The closer the server to a user of an app or site the faster it works for him. Try to choose one that will be fast enough for everyone.
Control Panel
Besides the command line, you will sometimes use the Control Panel to interact with the server. So it should be user-friendly and functional enough to fulfil your needs.
Best virtual servers
You can find thousands of hosts around the web, but there are some big names you must consider as the best solution. For example Digital Ocean. One of the most modern and reliable providers that are quite popular and relatively inexpensive. Additionally, you might consider the IBM platform and rent VDS there.
If you don’t really need to control your server but want to host an app or website in a few clicks with the power and quality of Microsoft’s and Amazon’s ecosystems, you might want to consider Hostman as your provider.
It makes managing any web project or application a breeze, so you can concentrate on the creative part of your work while delegating all routine tasks to the Hostman’s professional administrators.
You can try with free7 days trial. Create your virtual server here.
Infrastructure
07.10.2021
10 min read
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Infrastructure
VMware Cloud Director: What It Is and How to Use It
VMware Cloud Director (formerly vCloud Director, or “vCD”) is a modern solution for cloud providers, mainly designed for building virtual data centers on top of physical infrastructure. The platform allows combining all of a data center’s physical resources into virtual pools, which are then offered to end users on a rental basis.
It integrates tightly with VMware’s own technologies: vCenter and vSphere. vCenter is a set of tools for managing virtual infrastructure, and vSphere is the virtualization platform for cloud computing.
Key Capabilities of VMware Cloud Director
Creation of virtual data centers (vDCs) with full isolation of virtual services and resources.
Migration of virtual machines (VMs) between clouds, and self-deployment of OVF templates.
Snapshots and rollback of VM changes.
Creation of isolated and routable networks with external access.
Integrated, tiered storage with load balancing between virtual machines.
Network security: perimeter protection and firewalling.
Encryption of access to cloud resources to secure the virtual infrastructure.
Unified authentication across all VMware services (single sign-on) so users don’t need to re-authenticate.
Deployment of multi‑tier applications as ready-made virtual appliances, with VMs and OS images.
Allocation of isolated resources for different departments within a single virtual structure.
How VMware Cloud Director Works
VMware Cloud Director uses a multi-tenant model. Rather than building a dedicated environment for every customer, it creates a shared virtual environment. This reduces infrastructure maintenance costs massively: for large cloud providers, savings can reach hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars per year, which in turn lowers the rental cost for end users.
Resource consumption model:
Using vCenter and vSphere, the provider aggregates physical resources into a shared pool called a “virtual data center” (vDC).
From that pool, resources are allocated into Org vDCs (Organizational Virtual Data Centers), which are the fundamental compute units consumed by customers.
VMware Cloud Director syncs with the vSphere database to request and allocate the required amount of resources.
Org vDCs are containers of VMs and can be configured independently. Customers can order different numbers of Org vDCs for different purposes, e.g., one Org vDC for marketing, another for finance, a third for HR. At the same time, interconnectivity can be established between these Org vDCs, forming a large, virtual private data center.
It’s also possible to combine Org vDCs into multiple networks. Additionally, within those networks, one can create vApps (virtual applications) made up of VMs, each with their own gateways to connect to Org vDCs. This setup allows building virtual networks of any architecture, isolated or routable, to match various business needs.
When such a network is created, the provider assigns a user from the customer organization to the role of network administrator. A unique URL is also assigned to each organization. The administrator is responsible for adding or removing users, assigning roles and resources, creating network services, and more. They also manage connections to services provided by the cloud provider. For instance, VM templates or OVF/OVA modules, which simplify backup and VM migration.
Resource Allocation Models in VMware Cloud Director
VMware Cloud Director supports several models for allocating resources, depending on how you want to manage usage:
Allocation Pool: You set resource limits and also define a guaranteed percentage of the shared pool for a user. This model is good when you want predictable costs but don’t need full reservation.
Pay-As-You-Go: No guaranteed resources, only consumption-based; ideal if usage is variable. The model is flexible and fits users who want to grow gradually.
Reservation Pool: You reserve all available resources; user requests are limited only by what the provider’s data center can supply. Reservation Pool is suited for organizations that need fixed performance and large infrastructure.
Useful Features of VMware Cloud Director
Here are several powerful features that optimize resource usage, routing, and tenant isolation:
Delegation of Privileges
You can assign network administrators from the users of each organization. These admins get broad rights: they can create and manage VMs, deploy OVF/OVA templates, manage VM migration, set up isolated/routable networks, balance VM workloads, and more.
Monitoring and Analytics
Cloud Director includes a unified system for monitoring and analyzing VM infrastructure: VMs, storage, networks, memory. All data is logged and visualized in a dedicated dashboard, making it easier to detect and resolve problems proactively.
Networking Features
Networking in vCloud Director supports dynamic routing, distributed firewalls, hybrid cloud integration, and flexible traffic distribution. Many of these features are now standard in the newer versions of Cloud Director. If you don’t already have some of them, you may need to upgrade your NSX Edge and convert it to an Advanced Gateway in the UI.
Dynamic routing improves reliability by eliminating manual route configuration. You can also define custom routing rules based on IP/MAC addresses or groups of servers. With NSX Edge load balancing, incoming traffic can be distributed evenly across pools of VMs selected by IP, improving scalability and performance.
Access Control and More
You can create custom user roles in the Cloud Director UI to control access tailored to organizational needs.
VMs can be pinned to specific ESXi host groups (affinity rules), which helps with licensing or performance. If Distributed Resource Scheduler (DRS) is supported, Cloud Director can automatically balance VMs across hosts based on load.
Additional useful features include automatic VM discovery and import, batch updating of server cluster cells, and network migration tools.
25 November 2025 · 5 min to read
Infrastructure
Why Developers Use the Cloud: Capabilities and Advantages
Today, up to 100% of startups begin operating based on providers offering services ranging from simple virtual hosting to dedicated servers. In this article, we will examine the advantages of cloud computing that have led to its dominance over the “classic” approach of having a dedicated server in a separate room.
Cloud Use Cases
Typical scenarios for using cloud technologies include:
Full migration of a business application to a remote server. For example, enterprise resource planning or accounting software. These applications support operation via remote desktop interfaces, thin clients, or web browsers.
Migration of specific business functions. Increasingly, archival copies are stored in the cloud while software continues running locally. Alternatively, a backup SQL server node can be hosted remotely and connected in case the local server fails.
Implementation of new services. Businesses are increasingly adopting automated systems for data collection and analytics. For example, Business Intelligence (BI) technologies have become popular, helping generate current and comparative reports.
Interaction between local and cloud environments. Hybrid services are well established in large networks. For example, a retail store may operate a local network with an on-site server, receive orders from an online store, and send requests back to transport companies, and so on.This setup allows offline operation even if the internet is fully disconnected: processing sales, receiving shipments, conducting inventories, with automatic synchronization once connectivity is restored.
These examples represent foundational scenarios, giving developers plenty of room to innovate. This is one reason more and more coders are attracted to the cloud.
Advantages
Now let’s examine the advantages and disadvantages of cloud computing. Yes, the technology has some drawbacks, including dependency on internet bandwidth and somewhat higher requirements for IT specialists. Experienced professionals may need retraining, whereas younger personnel who learn cloud technologies from the start do not face such challenges.
Speed
Software development often requires significant time and effort for application testing. Applications must be verified across multiple platforms, resolutions, and device types. Maintaining local machines dedicated to testing is inefficient.
Cloud computing solves this by enabling rapid deployment of virtually any environment, isolated from other projects, ensuring it does not interfere with team development. High deployment speed and access to cloud services also encourage IT startups to launch almost “from scratch,” with minimal resource investment.
The advantages of cloud services are especially critical when development volumes periodically expand. Purchasing hardware consumes a developer’s most valuable resource: time. In the cloud, selecting a plan takes just a few minutes, and the setup of a remote host for specific tasks can begin immediately. Hardware resources on the remote server, such as CPU cores, memory, and storage, can also be easily adjusted.
Security
Building a private server is expensive. Besides the powerful machines, you will need backup power and internet lines, a separate room with air conditioning and fire protection, and security personnel to prevent unauthorized access. Cloud providers automatically provide all these features at any service level.
Other security advantages include:
Easier identity and access management (IAM).
Higher reliability for continuous business operations.
Protection against theft or seizure of storage devices containing sensitive data.
On a cloud server, users cannot simply plug in a USB drive to download files. Data does not reside on local machines, and access is controlled according to company policy. Users only see what their role allows. This approach reduces the risk of viruses and accidental or intentional file deletion. Antivirus software runs on cloud platforms, and backups are automatically maintained.
Cost Efficiency
Purchasing server hardware is a major budget burden, even for large corporations. Before the cloud boom, this limited IT development. Modern developers often need test environments with unique infrastructure, which may only be required temporarily. Buying hardware for a one-time test is inefficient.
Short-term rental of cloud infrastructure allows developers to complete tasks without worrying about hardware maintenance. Equipment costs directly impact project pricing and developer competitiveness, so cloud adoption is advantageous. Today, most software is developed for cloud infrastructure, at least with support for it.
Maintenance, storage, and disposal costs for IT equipment also add up. Hardware becomes obsolete even if unused. This makes maintaining developer workstations for “simple” desktop software costly. Offloading this to a cloud provider allows developers to always work with the latest infrastructure.
Convenience
Another cloud advantage is ease of use. Cloud platforms simplify team collaboration and enable remote work. The platform is accessible from any device: desktop, laptop, tablet, or smartphone, allowing work from home, the office, or even a beach in Bali. Clouds have become a foundation for remote work, including project management.
Other conveniences include:
Easy client demonstrations: Developers can grant access and remotely show functionality, or run it on the client’s office computer without installing additional components.
Quick deployment of standard solutions: Setting up an additional workstation takes only a few minutes, from registering a new user to their trial login. New developers can quickly join ongoing tasks.
Easy role changes: In dynamic teams, personnel often switch between projects. Access to project folders can be revoked with a few clicks once a task is completed.
This also applies to routine work: adding new employees, blocking access for former staff, or reassigning personnel. A single administrative console provides an overview of activity and simplifies version tracking, archiving, and rapid deployment during failures.
Stability
Another factor affecting developer success is the speed of task completion. Beyond rapid deployment, system stability is critical. On local machines, specialists depend on hardware reliability. A failure could delay project timelines due to hardware replacement and configuration.
Moving software testing to the cloud enhances the stability of local IT resources, particularly in hybrid systems. Cloud data centers provide Tier 3 minimum reliability (99.982% uptime) without additional client investment. Resources are pre-provisioned and ready for use according to the chosen plan. Development, testing, and operation are typically conducted within a single provider’s platform, in an environment isolated from client services.
Conclusion
Cloud technologies offer numerous advantages with relatively few drawbacks. Businesses and individual users value these benefits, and developers are encouraged to follow trends and create new, in-demand products. Virtually all commerce has migrated to the cloud, and industrial sectors, especially those with extensive branch networks and remote facilities, are also adopting cloud solutions.
25 November 2025 · 6 min to read
Infrastructure
PostgreSQL vs MySQL: Which Database Is Right for Your Business?
PostgreSQL and MySQL are among the most popular relational databases. In this article, we will examine the functional differences between them and compare their performance so that you can choose the database that is suitable for your business.
PostgreSQL vs MySQL
Despite the increasing similarity in features between PostgreSQL and MySQL, important differences remain. For example, PostgreSQL is better suited for managing large and complex databases, while MySQL is optimal for website and online-application databases because it is oriented toward speed. This follows from the internal structure of these relational database systems, which we will examine.
Data Storage in PostgreSQL and MySQL
Like any other relational databases, these systems store data in tables. However, MySQL uses several storage engines for this, while PostgreSQL uses only a single storage engine. On one hand, this makes PostgreSQL more convenient, because MySQL’s engines read and write data to disk differently. On the other hand, MySQL offers greater flexibility in choosing a data engine.
However, PostgreSQL has an advantage: its storage engine implements table inheritance, where tables are represented as objects. As a result, operations are performed using object-oriented functions.
Support
The SQL standard is over 35 years old, and only the developers of PostgreSQL aim to bring their product into full compliance with the standard. The developers of MySQL use a different approach: if a certain feature simplifies working with the system, it will be implemented even if it does not fully conform to the standard. This makes MySQL more user-friendly compared to PostgreSQL.
In terms of community support, the number of MySQL developers still exceeds those working with PostgreSQL, but you can receive qualified help in both communities. In addition, many free guides and even books have been written about PostgreSQL, containing answers to most questions. It is also worth noting that both platforms are free, but MySQL has several commercial editions, which can sometimes lead to additional expenses.
Programming Languages
Both systems support a wide range of programming languages. Among the popular ones are C++, Java, Python, lua, and PHP. Therefore, a company’s development team will not face difficulties implementing features in either system.
Operating Systems
MySQL is a more universal system that runs on Windows, Linux, macOS, and several other operating systems. PostgreSQL was originally designed for Linux, but with the REST API interface, it becomes an equally universal solution that operates on any OS.
Data Processing
PostgreSQL provides more capabilities for data processing. For example, a cursor is used for moving through table data, and responses are written to the memory of the database server rather than the client, as in MySQL. PostgreSQL also allows building indexes simultaneously for several columns. It supports different index types, allowing work with multiple data types. This database also supports regular expressions in queries. However, new fields in PostgreSQL can only be added at the end of a table.
Parallel data processing is better organized in PostgreSQL because the platform has a built-in implementation of MVCC (multiversion concurrency control). MVCC can also be supported in MySQL, but only if InnoDB is used. Concerning replication, PostgreSQL supports logical, streaming, and bidirectional replication, while MySQL supports circular replication as well as master-master and master-standby. Replication refers to copying data between databases located on different servers.
PostgreSQL and MySQL: Performance Comparison
Testing is fair only when comparing two clean, “out-of-the-box” systems. Indexed testing provides the following results:
Insertion: PostgreSQL is more than 2.7× faster, processing a 400,000-record database in 5.5 seconds versus 15 seconds for MySQL.
Inner join: PostgreSQL processes 400,000 records in 1.1 seconds, MySQL in 2.8 seconds: a gain of more than 2.5×.
Indexed sorting: PostgreSQL processes the same number of records in 0.9 seconds, MySQL in 1.5 seconds.
Grouping: For the same 400,000-record database, PostgreSQL achieves 0.35 seconds, MySQL 0.52 seconds.
Indexed selection: PostgreSQL is 2× faster: 0.6 seconds vs. 1.2 seconds.
When it comes to updating data, PostgreSQL’s update time increases gradually as the number of records grows, while MySQL processes them in roughly the same time, starting from 100,000 records. This is due to different data-storage implementations. Nevertheless, PostgreSQL holds a significant advantage over MySQL even with large data volumes: 3.5 seconds versus 9.5 seconds for 400,000 records—more than 2.7× faster.
Without indexes, PostgreSQL also shows surprisingly high performance, processing a 400,000-record database in 1.3, 0.7, and 2.2 seconds for inner join, selection, and update operations, respectively.
Thus, PostgreSQL delivers an average performance advantage of about 2× (2.06). Although MySQL was originally positioned as a high-performance platform, constant optimization by the PostgreSQL development team has resulted in greater efficiency.
Advantages for Developers
Here we consider only the unique features characteristic of each platform. Therefore, we will not discuss support for MVCC or ACID, as these features are present in both systems.
From a developer’s perspective, MySQL is advantageous because it:
Provides increased flexibility and is easily scalable, with more than ten storage engines based on different data-storage algorithms.
Handles small read-oriented databases more efficiently (i.e., without frequent writes).
Is easier to manage and maintain, because it requires less configuration and fewer preparatory steps before starting work.
From a developer’s perspective, PostgreSQL is advantageous because it:
Offers an object-oriented approach to data, enabling inheritance and allowing the creation of more complex table structures that do not fit the traditional relational model.
Handles write-oriented databases better, including validation of written data.
Supports object-oriented programming features, enabling work with NoSQL-style data, including XML and JSON formats.
Can support databases without limitations on data volume. Some companies use PostgreSQL to run databases as large as several petabytes.
PostgreSQL and MySQL Comparison
For clarity, the main features of both systems can be presented in a table:
PostgreSQL
MySQL
Supported OS
Solaris, Windows, Linux, OS X, Unix, HP-UX
Solaris, Windows, Linux, OS X, FreeBSD
Use cases
Large databases with complex queries (e.g., Big Data)
Lighter databases (e.g., websites and applications)
Data types
Supports advanced data types, including arrays and hstore
Supports standard SQL data types
Table inheritance
Yes
No
Triggers
Supports triggers for a wide range of commands
Limited trigger support
Storage engines
Single (Storage Engine)
Multiple
As we can see, several features are implemented only in PostgreSQL. Both systems support ODBC, JDBC, CTE (common table expressions), declarative partitioning, GIS, SRS, window functions, and many other features.
Conclusion
Each system has its strengths. MySQL handles horizontal scaling well and is easier to configure and manage. However, if you expect database expansion or plan to work with different data types, it is better to consider implementing PostgreSQL in advance. Moreover, PostgreSQL is a fully free solution, so companies with limited budgets can use it without fear of unnecessary costs.
24 November 2025 · 6 min to read
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