Why PostgreSQL Won DB‑Engines 2023 DBMS of the Year (and Who Came Close)
The article explains how PostgreSQL was crowned DB‑Engines 2023 Database Management System of the Year, outlines the ranking methodology, highlights PostgreSQL’s long‑term success, and introduces the runner‑up Databricks and third‑place Google BigQuery along with a history of past winners.
2023 DBMS of the Year: PostgreSQL
According to the latest DB‑Engines ranking, PostgreSQL was named the 2023 Database Management System of the Year, beating 417 other systems in popularity among users and administrators.
The ranking methodology compares the popularity score from January 2024 with that from January 2023, using the absolute difference rather than a percentage change, which favors databases that started with lower popularity in early 2023.
Why PostgreSQL Stands Out
After winning three consecutive DB‑Engines awards from 2017 to 2020, PostgreSQL claimed its fourth title in 2023. First released about 35 years ago as Postgres, it has continuously added features. Rapid, stable improvements keep it at the forefront of DBMS technology, offering a reliable platform. PostgreSQL 16, released in September 2023, further boosts performance and adds more replication options, cementing its status as one of the most successful open‑source projects.
Runner‑up: Databricks
Databricks is a cloud‑based big‑data analytics and machine‑learning platform created by the founders of Apache Spark. It operates an ecosystem of open‑source tools such as Apache Spark, Delta Lake, Delta Sharing, and MLflow.
In the DB‑Engines ranking, Databricks holds the 17th position, up from 19th a year earlier.
Third Place: Google BigQuery
BigQuery is Google’s fully managed, cloud‑native data warehouse and analytics service. It enables large‑scale data processing with SQL and includes built‑in machine‑learning and BI capabilities. BigQuery is part of the Google Cloud Platform suite.
BigQuery ranks 19th in the DB‑Engines list, improving from 21st the previous year.
Historical DB‑Engines DBMS of the Year Winners
2023 – PostgreSQL
2022 – Snowflake
2021 – Snowflake
2020 – PostgreSQL
2019 – MySQL
2018 – PostgreSQL
2017 – PostgreSQL
2016 – Microsoft SQL Server
2015 – Oracle
2014 – MongoDB
2013 – MongoDB
Congratulations to PostgreSQL, Databricks, and Google for their achievements in 2023.
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