[Feature request]: PostgreSQL support

[dtouzeau]

In enterprise environments, PostgreSQL is favored for its robustness and performance.

Will there be a development plan on this topic?

[johaven]

Hi @dtouzeau

MariaDB and MySQL are mature and proven databases, adopted by companies such as Netflix, Facebook, BlaBlaCar, and Shopify. Their efficient architecture makes them a reliable choice for high-traffic platforms, particularly for read-intensive workloads like Sync-in.
Given the nature of the queries and transactions handled by the Sync-in server, we have observed no performance gain or tangible advantage in using PostgreSQL in our current context.
However, we remain open to considering PostgreSQL support in the long term should a clear technical benefit be demonstrated, noting that no database engine is inherently superior performance ultimately depends on the use case and workload profile.

[dtouzeau]

Thank you for the clarification—this can be a bit dogmatic.
That said, Uber, Netflix, and Instagram also use PostgreSQL.
Contrary to common belief, PostgreSQL (16.6% mindshare) is much more widely used than MariaDB (6.7% mindshare):
https://www.peerspot.com/products/comparisons/mariadb_vs_postgresql

There are many sources on the relative deployment size of both databases, but the proportions are roughly similar across them: PostgreSQL is more widely adopted.

The goal isn’t to start a “religious war,” but supporting both engines would be strongly in your favor, despite the technical advantages which (I recognize) may be comparable.

[johaven]

It’s true that PostgreSQL has gained very strong adoption today, offering an advanced feature set and excellent scalability.

We chose MariaDB mainly for pragmatic reasons:
• Lighter memory and CPU footprint: MariaDB typically uses 30–50% fewer resources under similar load, which makes it more efficient in shared environments.
• Simpler and more efficient threading model: each connection doesn’t spawn a dedicated process, reducing system overhead.
• Easier operational maintenance: fewer fine-tuning requirements (no VACUUM process, more straightforward memory configuration) and generally more predictable behavior.
• Consistent performance on simple queries and sustained web traffic, which represent the majority of our current use cases.

Of course, PostgreSQL still offers undeniable advantages for more complex workloads (analytical queries, JSONB, advanced indexing, etc.), but given our current context, the simplicity / resource usage / maintenance balance clearly leans in favor of MariaDB.

In the end, it’s all about finding the right balance between effort and benefit.
We remain open though: supporting both engines in the future would certainly enhance the platform’s flexibility.
We’ll keep this as a possible evolution for the future.

[DrummyFloyd]

woul awesome to have postgres support especially with some ORM is quite simple to make it happn
Hope it will come soon !
can't wait to ditch nextcloud for something more simple and less chaotic