CockroachDB Review

Last updated: October 2 2024

CockroachDB is an open-source, distributed, PostgreSQL compatible database. It is an excellent option for when you have outgrown PostgreSQL (or some other PostgreSQL compatible database) and need exceptionally high throughput or fault tolerance.

Pros

• It implements a PostgreSQL front end. This makes it flexible and also relatively easy to recruit for.
• It has incredibly powerful distribution features, such as its multi-region capabilities. A lot of the distribution control is baked into DDL commands, such as CREATE TABLE.
• It is open-source and easily deployed via CockroachDB’s web UI to any of the major cloud providers.
• Straightforward and surprisingly reasonable pricing.
• You can interact with it via DBeaver.
• Great third party support.
• CockroachDB inherits PostgreSQL’s excellent documentation, plus it has excellent first party documentation.

Cons

• SQL Server’s 1st party tooling is just plain better than PostgreSQL or any of its wire-compatible variants. SSMS, SSIS, SQL Server Profiler, SSDT, SSRS, SSAS, and SQL Server Agent are all awesome.
• It doesn’t have the ability to keep a table entirely in memory like SQL Server does with it’s Hekaton feature.