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DBMS > Microsoft SQL Server vs. PostgreSQL vs. Redis

System Properties Comparison Microsoft SQL Server vs. PostgreSQL vs. Redis

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Editorial information provided by DB-Engines
NameMicrosoft SQL Server  Xexclude from comparisonPostgreSQL  Xexclude from comparisonRedis  Xexclude from comparison
DescriptionMicrosofts flagship relational DBMSWidely used open source RDBMS infoDeveloped as objectoriented DBMS (Postgres), gradually enhanced with 'standards' like SQLPopular in-memory data platform used as a cache, message broker, and database that can be deployed on-premises, across clouds, and hybrid environments infoRedis focuses on performance so most of its design decisions prioritize high performance and very low latencies.
Primary database modelRelational DBMSRelational DBMS infowith object oriented extensions, e.g.: user defined types/functions and inheritance. Handling of key/value pairs with hstore module.Key-value store infoMultiple data types and a rich set of operations, as well as configurable data expiration, eviction and persistence
Secondary database modelsDocument store
Graph DBMS
Spatial DBMS
Document store
Graph DBMS infowith Apache Age
Spatial DBMS
Vector DBMS infowith pgvector extension
Document store infowith RedisJSON
Graph DBMS infowith RedisGraph
Spatial DBMS
Search engine infowith RediSearch
Time Series DBMS infowith RedisTimeSeries
Vector DBMS
DB-Engines Ranking infomeasures the popularity of database management systemsranking trend
Trend Chart
Score802.09
Rank#3  Overall
#3  Relational DBMS
Score652.16
Rank#4  Overall
#4  Relational DBMS
Score149.63
Rank#6  Overall
#1  Key-value stores
Websitewww.microsoft.com/­en-us/­sql-serverwww.postgresql.orgredis.com
redis.io
Technical documentationlearn.microsoft.com/­en-US/­sql/­sql-serverwww.postgresql.org/­docsdocs.redis.com/­latest/­index.html
redis.io/­docs
DeveloperMicrosoftPostgreSQL Global Development Group infowww.postgresql.org/­developerRedis project core team, inspired by Salvatore Sanfilippo infoDevelopment sponsored by Redis Inc.
Initial release19891989 info1989: Postgres, 1996: PostgreSQL2009
Current releaseSQL Server 2022, November 202216.4, August 20247.2.5, May 2024
License infoCommercial or Open Sourcecommercial inforestricted free version is availableOpen Source infoBSDOpen Source infosource-available extensions (modules), commercial licenses for Redis Enterprise
Cloud-based only infoOnly available as a cloud servicenonono
DBaaS offerings (sponsored links) infoDatabase as a Service

Providers of DBaaS offerings, please contact us to be listed.
SQLServer Flex @ STACKIT offers a managed version of SQL Server with adjustable CPU, RAM, storage amount and speed, in enterprise grade to perfectly match all application requirements. All services are 100% GDPR-compliant.PostgreSQL Flex @ STACKIT offers managed PostgreSQL Instances with adjustable CPU, RAM, storage amount and speed and several extensions available, in enterprise grade to perfectly match all application requirements. All 100% GDPR-compliant.
Implementation languageC++CC
Server operating systemsLinux
Windows
FreeBSD
HP-UX
Linux
NetBSD
OpenBSD
OS X
Solaris
Unix
Windows
BSD
Linux
OS X
Windows infoported and maintained by Microsoft Open Technologies, Inc.
Data schemeyesyesschema-free
Typing infopredefined data types such as float or dateyesyespartial infoSupported data types are strings, hashes, lists, sets and sorted sets, bit arrays, hyperloglogs and geospatial indexes
XML support infoSome form of processing data in XML format, e.g. support for XML data structures, and/or support for XPath, XQuery or XSLT.yesyes infospecific XML-type available, but no XML query functionality.no
Secondary indexesyesyesyes infowith RediSearch module
SQL infoSupport of SQLyesyes infostandard with numerous extensionswith RediSQL module
APIs and other access methodsADO.NET
JDBC
ODBC
OLE DB
Tabular Data Stream (TDS)
ADO.NET
JDBC
native C library
ODBC
streaming API for large objects
proprietary protocol infoRESP - REdis Serialization Protocol
Supported programming languagesC#
C++
Delphi
Go
Java
JavaScript (Node.js)
PHP
Python
R
Ruby
Visual Basic
.Net
C
C++
Delphi
Java infoJDBC
JavaScript (Node.js)
Perl
PHP
Python
Tcl
C
C#
C++
Clojure
Crystal
D
Dart
Elixir
Erlang
Fancy
Go
Haskell
Haxe
Java
JavaScript (Node.js)
Lisp
Lua
MatLab
Objective-C
OCaml
Pascal
Perl
PHP
Prolog
Pure Data
Python
R
Rebol
Ruby
Rust
Scala
Scheme
Smalltalk
Swift
Tcl
Visual Basic
Server-side scripts infoStored proceduresTransact SQL, .NET languages, R, Python and (with SQL Server 2019) Javauser defined functions inforealized in proprietary language PL/pgSQL or with common languages like Perl, Python, Tcl etc.Lua; Redis Functions coming in Redis 7 (slides and Github)
Triggersyesyespublish/subscribe channels provide some trigger functionality; RedisGears
Partitioning methods infoMethods for storing different data on different nodestables can be distributed across several files (horizontal partitioning); sharding through federationpartitioning by range, list and (since PostgreSQL 11) by hashSharding infoAutomatic hash-based sharding with support for hash-tags for manual sharding
Replication methods infoMethods for redundantly storing data on multiple nodesyes, but depending on the SQL-Server EditionSource-replica replication infoother methods possible by using 3rd party extensionsMulti-source replication infowith Redis Enterprise Pack
Source-replica replication infoChained replication is supported
MapReduce infoOffers an API for user-defined Map/Reduce methodsnonothrough RedisGears
Consistency concepts infoMethods to ensure consistency in a distributed systemImmediate ConsistencyImmediate ConsistencyEventual Consistency
Causal consistency can be enabled in Active-Active databases
Strong consistency with Redis Raft
Strong eventual consistency with Active-Active
Foreign keys infoReferential integrityyesyesno
Transaction concepts infoSupport to ensure data integrity after non-atomic manipulations of dataACIDACIDAtomic execution of command blocks and scripts and optimistic locking
Concurrency infoSupport for concurrent manipulation of datayesyesyes infoData access is serialized by the server
Durability infoSupport for making data persistentyesyesyes infoConfigurable mechanisms for persistency via snapshots and/or operations logs
In-memory capabilities infoIs there an option to define some or all structures to be held in-memory only.yesnoyes
User concepts infoAccess controlfine grained access rights according to SQL-standardfine grained access rights according to SQL-standardAccess Control Lists (ACLs): redis.io/­docs/­management/­security/­acl
LDAP and Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) for Redis Enterprise
Mutual TLS authentication: redis.io/­docs/­management/­security/­encryption
Password-based authentication

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Related products and services
3rd partiesNavicat Monitor is a safe, simple and agentless remote server monitoring tool for SQL Server and many other database management systems.
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Navicat for SQL Server gives you a fully graphical approach to database management and development.
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pgDash: In-Depth PostgreSQL Monitoring.
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CYBERTEC is a premier consulting company that provides open-source database PostgreSQL management and data science solutions. By offering PostgreSQL migrations, administration, design, and more, CYBERTEC provides an all-in-one catalog of powerful PostgreSQL support. It's through this exceptional service, equipped with a team of experts, that the company has established a proven reputation. When it comes to Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, and Big Data, CYBERTEC offers services customized for you.
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Navicat for PostgreSQL is an easy-to-use graphical tool for PostgreSQL database development.
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Navicat Monitor is a safe, simple and agentless remote server monitoring tool for PostgreSQL and many other database management systems.
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SharePlex is the reliable and affordable data replication solution for PostgreSQL migrations, high availability and more.
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Redisson PRO: The ultra-fast Redis Java Client.
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Navicat for Redis: the award-winning Redis management tool with an intuitive and powerful graphical interface.
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More resources
Microsoft SQL ServerPostgreSQLRedis
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