Dear forum,

I am looking to enter into Linux database programming, having come from a WIndows VB.Net and SQL Server background (although I have a bit of exposure to Ingres from my uni course).

I am looking to write a database application that would be suitable to offer as a product in the future.

At the moment I am trying to decide between MySQL and Postgres. I have decided to choose between these 2 as they are the most common open source databases.

I would therefore like to know peoples opinions on which database to choose, considering the following points:

i) Availability of Triggers.
ii) Availability of User defined functions / stored procedures.
iii) User-friendly database management tools.
iv) Important! Concurrent users, e.g. which can have more users accessing the system, and/or which is fastest and most reliable.

Finally, is there any suggested developemnt tools / languages for developing database apps with these databases.

Thanks in advance,

Peds

Both are well documented.. I would go with postgres though

I would probably go with mysql - you may be interested in:
http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...hreadid=116360

PostgreSQL has all the features you want or well known free addons are available.

Both databases are nice, BUT PostgreSQL has support for transaction management and isolation, much better and standard compliance for ANSI SQL 99. Both have diversions or "enhancements" to the standard SQL language, but I think PostgreSQL allows you to do more without resorting to non-standard SQL.

MySQL's main goal was to be FAST. So, things like transaction management, and other advanced items are either an afterthough or completely unsupported. In the end, effeciently written complex SQL can outrun MySQL of similar complex SQL broken into more simple/iterative SQL statements. That can be done with any database that support complex SQL. But with the improvements of both databases, the speed issue is not that big to me any more -- both are reasonably fast under average load.

Have the MySQL folks fixed the crappy locking support yet? When the only tranaction management they have is locking an entire table seems abit too crude. Deadlocks anyone? Most folks don't bother with it. Don't consider it if you are building a banking application. :-) I think it has only recently that they have opened more support for JOINing tables.

On thing for the MySQL camp is that it seems like most open software, specially web-related scripts or programs assume you will be running MySQL. Many projects now support either database or are written to be database-independent -- but more support MySQL right now.

One thing I did notice -- even Fedora only ships with MySQL 3.x series because of the license change. This might be a consideration, I'm not sure if MySQL is becoming more commercial and closed or what. PostgreSQL remains unquestionabily open source. I think RedHat has shifted it's preferred database to PostgreSQL.

I've worked with both and my personal preference is PostgreSQL, although I can work with either. Yeah, I noticed the poll with MySQL in the lead. I would not give that much weight. Evaluate your needs and consider the strengths of each database. I have found PostgreSQL to be a bit more robust.

I think with my research so far, I will probably opt for PostGres. It appears to have more functionality, and has positiives such as User defined functions, and triggers.

My quest is now to download and install the latest version, and try and figure out which tools to use for the application front end. This could be even more difficult than determning the DB to use.

Are there any commonly used tools for Linux database application development? I guess I am trying to find something along the lines of Windoze forms as I've been used to in the past such as in VB or Access.

Peds

Tcl/Tk and Qt are both useful for building forms, etc. Both can be supported in C++, Perl or Python, though extra downloads may be needed to get the needed bindings. Qt requires a license if you're going to sell software. Tk doesn't yet have combo boxes. There is a package from NZ that offers them, but I haven't been able to get it to install (Pmw for Python Mega Widgets--Google Pmw if you want to try it).