SQLite vs PostgreSQL vs MySQL: A Developer’s Guide

Selecting the right relational database management system (RDBMS) is a crucial architectural choice that affects the scalability, performance, reliability, and maintainability of your application. Three of the most widely adopted open-source relational databases are SQLite, PostgreSQL, and MySQL — each with distinct design philosophies, strengths, and use cases.

This guide provides an in-depth comparison to help developers, architects, and decision-makers evaluate the best option based on workload, development needs, and operational requirements.

1. Overview of the Databases

SQLite

• Type: Embedded, file-based, serverless RDBMS
• License: Public domain (zero licensing restrictions)
• Deployment: Stored as a single .sqlite file; runs within the application process
• Best Suited For: Embedded systems, mobile apps (Android/iOS), IoT, desktop applications, quick prototypes

PostgreSQL

• Type: Advanced object-relational DBMS
• License: PostgreSQL License (similar to MIT/BSD)
• Deployment: Client-server architecture
• Best Suited For: Enterprise systems, analytics, complex relational data models, high-concurrency workloads, standards-compliant applications

MySQL

• Type: Widely used general-purpose RDBMS
• License: Dual-licensed: GPL for open source; commercial support available via Oracle
• Deployment: Client-server architecture
• Best Suited For: Web applications, content management systems, e-commerce platforms, LAMP stack deployments

2. Performance and Scalability

Metric	SQLite	PostgreSQL	MySQL
Concurrency	Single-writer, multi-reader	MVCC-based, supports high concurrency	Thread-based, good for moderate concurrency
Write Performance	Suitable for low-throughput apps	Optimized for concurrent write operations	Depends on storage engine (InnoDB is best)
Read Performance	Excellent in single-user environments	Strong, especially for large datasets	Excellent for read-heavy web apps
Scalability	Not suitable for distributed systems	Horizontally scalable with extensions	Sharding and replication options available
Thread Safety	Serialized or multi-threaded modes	Full multi-threading with process isolation	Multi-threaded with connection pooling

Summary:

• Choose SQLite for low-concurrency, resource-constrained, or embedded environments.
• Use PostgreSQL for mission-critical applications with high transactional volume and complex queries.
• Select MySQL for read-heavy web applications and workloads where rapid development and community support are priorities.

3. Features Comparison

Feature	SQLite	PostgreSQL	MySQL
ACID Compliance	Yes	Yes	Yes
SQL Standards Compliance	Partial	High (SQL:2011 features supported)	Moderate (some deviations from ANSI SQL)
Stored Procedures	No	Yes (PL/pgSQL, PL/Python, etc.)	Yes (via procedural SQL)
Triggers	Yes	Yes	Yes
Views	Yes	Yes	Yes
Materialized Views	No	Yes	Limited
Index Types	B-tree	B-tree, Hash, GiST, GIN, BRIN	B-tree, Full-text (with InnoDB/MyISAM)
Full-Text Search	Via FTS extension	Built-in and advanced	Available via plugins or built-in in InnoDB
JSON Support	Basic (no indexing)	Advanced (indexed, queryable JSONB type)	Good (JSON data type with functions)
GIS Support	Limited	Excellent (via PostGIS)	Available (MySQL Spatial Extensions)
Concurrency Model	File-locking based	MVCC (Multi-Version Concurrency Control)	Lock-based or MVCC (InnoDB only)
Foreign Key Constraints	Yes	Yes	Yes
Window Functions	Limited	Fully supported	Limited support (available in 8.0+)

4. Ease of Use and Setup

SQLite

• Installation: No installation required; included with Python, Android, and many frameworks
• Configuration: None; just create a database file
• Administration: Minimal
• Learning Curve: Very beginner-friendly

PostgreSQL

• Installation: Requires setup of server and users
• Configuration: Extensive but flexible
• Administration: Tools like pgAdmin; supports fine-grained roles, permissions, logging, replication
• Learning Curve: Steeper, but robust for professionals

MySQL

• Installation: Available in most OS package managers
• Configuration: Simple for default use; advanced tuning available
• Administration: Tools like MySQL Workbench and CLI
• Learning Curve: Moderate; easy for web developers

5. Ecosystem and Tooling

Aspect	SQLite	PostgreSQL	MySQL
GUI Tools	DB Browser, SQLiteStudio	pgAdmin, DBeaver, Postico	MySQL Workbench, phpMyAdmin, HeidiSQL
ORM Integration	SQLAlchemy, Django ORM	Hibernate, Sequelize, SQLAlchemy	Eloquent (Laravel), TypeORM, Doctrine
Cloud Hosting Support	Limited to embedded use	Supported on AWS RDS, GCP, Azure	Fully supported on all major clouds
Enterprise Support	Community-supported	Enterprise-grade support via vendors	Oracle offers commercial support
Extensions & Modules	Limited	Rich ecosystem (PostGIS, TimescaleDB)	Plugins available, but more restricted

6. Use Cases and Recommendations

Use Case	Recommended Database
Mobile applications	SQLite
Embedded systems (IoT, devices)	SQLite
Prototyping, testing, local development	SQLite
Enterprise-grade OLTP systems	PostgreSQL
Complex business logic and analytics	PostgreSQL
Real-time event processing (pub/sub)	PostgreSQL (with LISTEN/NOTIFY)
High-volume e-commerce websites	PostgreSQL or MySQL
WordPress, Drupal, Joomla, Magento	MySQL
Geospatial or mapping applications	PostgreSQL (with PostGIS)
Data warehousing and BI tools	PostgreSQL
Startups and MVPs	SQLite (early stage), PostgreSQL (growth)

7. Advanced Considerations

Replication and High Availability

• SQLite: No built-in replication; requires application-layer sync
• PostgreSQL: Supports streaming replication, logical replication, hot standby, and clustering (e.g., Citus, Patroni)
• MySQL: Master-slave, master-master, Group Replication, and Galera Cluster supported

Backup and Recovery

• SQLite: Simple file backup; ACID guarantees safe write operations
• PostgreSQL: Point-in-time recovery, Write-Ahead Logging (WAL), base backups
• MySQL: Binary logs for PITR, MySQL Enterprise Backup, Percona XtraBackup

Security and Access Control

• SQLite: Lacks built-in authentication or user roles; security handled externally
• PostgreSQL: Advanced role-based access control, row-level security, SSL/TLS, and audit logging
• MySQL: Role-based access, SSL support, encryption at rest and in transit

Data Integrity and Constraints

• SQLite: Enforces primary keys, foreign keys, and basic constraints
• PostgreSQL: Comprehensive support for check constraints, exclusions, unique indexes, and domain types
• MySQL: Supports constraints, but enforcement may vary by storage engine

8. Future-Proofing and Trends

• SQLite continues to grow in the mobile and embedded space. It is also increasingly used in browser environments (via WebAssembly) and developer tooling.
• PostgreSQL is becoming the go-to choice for data-centric applications, due to its reliability, standards compliance, and extensibility.
• MySQL remains a strong choice for startups, legacy applications, and environments with prebuilt CMS platforms.

Final Thoughts

All three databases are battle-tested, open source, and production-ready. The best choice depends on your application architecture, scale, data complexity, and developer experience.

• Choose SQLite when simplicity, portability, or fast local development are top priorities.
• Choose PostgreSQL when you need robust performance, advanced data modeling, or high concurrency.
• Choose MySQL when you prioritize web-scale performance, ease of use, and CMS compatibility.

Understanding the strengths and limitations of each will help you align your database strategy with your application’s current needs and long-term goals.