What are the Top Ten Databases?

Kris Wenzel

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Everyone has their favorite DBMS, is your favorite one of the top databases?

Though some non-relational products have entered the top ten, the relational paradigm remains firmly entrenched in the database world.  However specialized database types such document store databases and wide column stores are gaining in popularity to become top databases.

Top of the Pack (Scores above 900)

There three top runners:  Oracle, MySQL, and Microsoft SQL server.  The scores for these three were all above 1000 and clearly separated from the rest of the pack.  The “big three” are kind of the hill for the time being.  IT will be awhile before these the are unseated as the top databases.

Personally I was surprised to see MySQL outranking MS-SQL; however, it is free, and widely available on web servers across the web.  Open source does have its advantages!

Mid Pack (Scores below 900)

PostgreSQL, MongoDB, DB2, and Microsoft Access round out the mid-pack.  MongoDB is a document store database.  This schema free method organization of data lends itself well to storing and managing electronic document data in formats such as JSON.

Emerging Tech (Scores below 100)

SQLite, Cassandra, and Sysbase ASE rank eight through tenth respectively.  Cassandra is known as a wide column store.  Personally I never had heard of that type of database model before.  My understanding is these type of databases can have billions of columns per row.  This makes Cassandra and other wide column store databases, perfect for storing two dimensional data (think spreadsheet).

Details

Here are the scores from DB-Engines.  If you have a moment, check out their site.  There is a historical graph of the rankings I found useful.

RankDBMS
1Oracle
2MySQL
3Microsoft SQL Server
4PostgreSQL
5MongoDB
6Redis
7IBM DB2
8Elasticsearch
9Microsoft Access
10SQLite
(Source: DB-Engines April, 2022 Ranking)

Remember!  I want to remind you all that if you have other questions you want answered, then post a comment or tweet me.  I’m here to help you.

What do  you agree with these rankings?  What is your favorite DB Engine?  Post a comment.

Other Post To Read:

3 responses to “What are the Top Ten Databases?”
  1. Roni

    Your sources based on ” The scores for these three were all above 1000 and clearly separated from the rest of the pack.” are the scores by their POPULARITY, not by their benchmark test results.
    So your statement “I was surprised to see MySQL outranking MS-SQL;” is only in respect of popularity.

    Reply
    1. Kris Wenzel

      True enough…. though if the most efficient DBMS ever, is only installed on one server, there won’t be much of a market or motivation to learn that dialect… :)

      Reply
  2. Dan Nicols

    Kris,

    Thnx for your post. I am wondering which OS-es the DB’s support. I’m particulary curious in which DB can be executed on client devices (Windows, Android, iOS, Windows phone). Also which DB’s have customer support.
    Do you know these details, do you know where I can find an overview?

    The reason behind the question is that we currently have a centralized database and want it to be decentralized so the application can be used in on- and offline mode.
    Thxn in advance, Dan

    Reply

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