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0 pointsComputerGuru16y ago0 comments

Very simple: a lot of pre-packaged software doesn't use except for MySQL.

Well, to clarify, a lot of popular pre-packaged software is out there in PHP. And PHP never had a good db abstraction layer + the entire style of the PHP language lent itself to the direct use of queries in the code, and the direct usage of the MySQL connectors.

When users want a forum, a wiki, a helpdesk, a blog, etc. and it's in PHP, chances are it doesn't have a PostgreSQL backend. And if you have to have MySQL, and MySQL works for everything (for some definition of the word "works") while PostgreSQL doesn't... there's your answer.

The real reason is: PostgreSQL doesn't have any must-have apps that only run PGSQL (which is a good thing), and MySQL does (which is a bad thing) so MySQL wins.

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4 comments · 2 top-level

njharman16y ago· 1 in thread

This is exactly why there are two DB's at my work.

- Postgres for Django and custom Perl system.

- MySql for all the 3rd party crap WP, forums, Redmine, couple craptistically old Perl help ticket and project management systems.

jeltz16y ago

Just want to note that Redmine runs just fine with PostgreSQL.

We do the same at my work too, but we have less third party apps that require MySQL.

Shorel16y ago· 1 in thread

There's ADODB for PHP. And it is a very good DB abstraction layer.

However, only some sites use it and big projects like Wordpress seem to be totally oblivious to it.

alanh16y ago

There is indeed ADODB, and I have used it. It still more or less requires writing queries, though — and most ORM systems — redbean, Kohana's ORM — still seem to interact directly with MySQL instead of using ADOdb.

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