Azure Cosmos DB vs MySQL: What are the differences?

Introduction:

Azure Cosmos DB and MySQL are both popular database systems used for storing and managing data. However, there are some key differences between the two that make them suitable for different use cases. Here are six of the main differences between Azure Cosmos DB and MySQL.

1. Scalability and Global Distribution: Azure Cosmos DB is designed to be a globally-distributed, highly-scalable database service, whereas MySQL is primarily designed for single-server deployments. Cosmos DB allows for transparent scaling of throughput and storage across multiple regions, making it suitable for applications that require global reach and high availability. MySQL can be scaled horizontally by using techniques like sharding, but it requires manual setup and configuration.

2. Data Model and Query Language: Azure Cosmos DB provides a document-based data model, where data is stored and accessed as JSON documents. It supports multiple data models such as key-value, graph, and column-family. It also offers a SQL-like query language called SQL API. On the other hand, MySQL follows a relational data model with tables, rows, and columns. It uses Structured Query Language (SQL) for querying.

3. Schema Flexibility: In Azure Cosmos DB, there is no fixed schema for data. Each document can have a different structure, and new attributes can be added dynamically. This flexibility allows for schema evolution and agile development. In contrast, MySQL requires a predefined schema where the structure of tables and columns needs to be defined before inserting data.

4. Consistency Models: Azure Cosmos DB offers five consistency models, ranging from strong consistency to eventual consistency, allowing developers to choose the right trade-off between consistency and availability. MySQL provides strong consistency by default but also allows developers to relax consistency guarantees for better availability in certain scenarios.

5. Multi-API Support: Azure Cosmos DB supports multiple APIs, including SQL (document model), MongoDB, Gremlin (graph model), Cassandra, and Table (key-value) APIs. This means that you have the flexibility to choose the API that best suits your application needs. MySQL, on the other hand, primarily supports the SQL API, although there are projects like MySQL Cluster that provide additional support for other data models.

6. Managed Service vs. Self-Managed: Azure Cosmos DB is a fully managed service, which means that Microsoft takes care of all the infrastructure, monitoring, and maintenance tasks. It provides automatic backups, patching, and high availability. In contrast, MySQL requires self-management, where users need to set up and manage their own database instances, backups, and scalability.

In summary, Azure Cosmos DB and MySQL differ in terms of scalability, data model, query language, schema flexibility, consistency models, API support, and managed service vs. self-management. These differences make them suitable for different types of applications and use cases.