The Pro’s and Con’s of Open Source Database Management Systems

Open-source, in simpler terms, means that anybody can view a specific application or software source code. Many approved open source licenses in the market, including permissive licensing, allow users to modify and redistribute them freely, while others enforce stricter measures when it comes to usage.

Open-source software and applications provide surprisingly attractive options considering that most are full-featured relational database management systems (RDBMS) available either at an affordable cost or free of charge.  The two most popular open-source databases that operate in this manner are MySQL and PostgreSQL, as illustrated in the 2019 open source database report. While software such as EDB Postgres allows you to supercharge PostgreSQL with efficiency, speed, and performance improvements. So it’s not hard to see why open source databases are such an appealing prospect for many enterprise businesses.

The Benefits of Open Source

Open-source applications present many benefits to users. For instance, with open source software, fixing bugs is a lot faster, considering that there’s no need to wait for corporate approval. At the same time, users get the software they need for free and with lesser licensing restrictions. The good thing about open source is that there’s always a freely-available alternative for each paid open-source software containing the same features.

Another beneficial thing about using open-source software is that users can audit application software and codes for security reasons. Something worth noting about open-source programs is that they are transparent by design, which is a big win for security. That means that anyone with the technical expertise can inspect an application’s source code and fix or report possible security issues. In fact, there are open-source software developers that offer bounties for bug reports to users who contribute to their applications’ security.

Then, there is what’s known as a qualitative shift within the open-source community and ecosystem. The lion’s share of open-source products today is made within corporate businesses. Due to this, it has become normal to see OSS project codes written by the same people who create commercial-use software. And besides all that, most open-source software can be integrated into – and work flawlessly across – an array of platforms.

The Drawbacks of Open Source

There are a few drawbacks of using free, open-source software. In most cases, support is provided/offered by volunteer computer enthusiasts rather than paid employees. Thus, most open-source products are only considered safe if they are actively maintained and supported.

Furthermore, you aren’t assured that an open-source application will work in your environment right off the shelf as there could be compatibility issues with existing software or hardware. When that happens, an assigned professional will have to come in and install and maintain the application’s infrastructure.

While open-source software users are free to audit an application’s code, there are still a few associated security risks. Undeniably, even the most widely-used and well-supported software may contain loopholes that leave them susceptible to security breaches.

Then, there’s something known as the open-source maintainer burnout effect. This is when discouraged contributors leave projects hanging after continually being criticized for their work. Apart from that, there is also the issue where the software’s support and development plans are uncertain or limited. Many open-source projects face multiple unforeseen factors that play a significant role in determining whether the project succeeds or fails once it has been released.

The Final Say On Open Source Database Management Systems

As we conclude, the important thing to note is that both commercial and open-source software have their pitfalls and benefits.

If you are currently thinking about database options, open-source products make more sense as they are more cost-effective than their commercial counterparts. Open-source applications combine the benefits of both commercial and open-source web solutions into one. The result? Higher-quality source codes, high and stable performance, and an even higher level of security against hackers.