Why PostgreSQL, MariaDB, and Azure SQL Are Redefining the DB‑Engines Rankings

The DB‑Engines popularity ranking for this year shows Oracle, MySQL and Microsoft SQL Server still occupying the top three positions, a dominance that has lasted over a decade.

Oracle slipped 2.66 points, MySQL 2.40 points, and SQL Server 6.85 points, while PostgreSQL posted the strongest gain, rising 4.65 points to become the fastest‑growing system.

Overall, the top‑ten databases remained stable; a chart illustrates the scores.

Among the ranks 11‑20, MariaDB (a MySQL fork) and Azure SQL Database stand out. MariaDB surged 93.79 points in three years and is projected to break into the top ten within two to three years, closing the gap with Cassandra.

Azure SQL Database, a cloud‑based service, grew 1.5× in January and has risen from a 28‑point score in early 2020 to 71 points now, a 43‑point increase, highlighting the rapid expansion of cloud databases.

Snowflake, a cloud data‑warehouse product, jumped from rank 37 with a 13.29‑point gain, its score climbing from 3 to 15 points after its IPO, underscoring the momentum of cloud‑native databases.

The top ten relational database systems now include the rising stars MariaDB and Azure SQL Database, signaling a transition era where established players coexist with emerging cloud‑centric solutions.