Comparison of relational database management systems

A relational database management system (RDBMS) is a database management system (DBMS) that is based on the relational model as introduced by E. F. Codd. Most popular databases currently in use are based on the relational database model.

A short definition of an RDBMS is: a DBMS in which data is stored in tables and the relationships among the data are also stored in tables. The data can be accessed or reassembled in many different ways without having to change the table forms.

Timeline of the development of major RDBMS software

Operating System support

The operating systems that the RDBMSes can run on:

	Windows	Mac OS X	Linux	BSD	UNIX	AmigaOS	Symbian	z/OS1	iOS	Android
4th Dimension	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
ADABAS	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No
Adaptive Server Enterprise	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	Yes
Advantage Database Server	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
Altibase	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No
Apache Derby2	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	?	No
CUBRID	Yes	Partial10	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
Drizzle	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No
DB25	Yes	Yes (Express C)	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No
Empress Embedded Database	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	Yes
Firebird	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Maybe	No	No
HSQLDB2	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	?	?
H22	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	?	?
FileMaker	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	Yes	No
Informix Dynamic Server	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No
Ingres	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Partial	No	No
InterBase	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes (Solaris)	No	No	No	No	No
Linter SQL RDBMS6	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes6	No	No	No	?	Yes
LucidDB	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
MariaDB	Yes	Yes[28]	Yes	Maybe	Yes	No	No	No	?	?
MaxDB	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	Maybe	No	No
Microsoft Access (JET)	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
Microsoft Visual Foxpro	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
Microsoft SQL Server	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
Microsoft SQL Server Compact (Embedded Database)	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
MonetDB/SQL	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No	?	?
MySQL8	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	?	No
Omnis Studio	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
OpenBase SQL	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No
OpenEdge	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No
OpenLink Virtuoso	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No
Oracle4	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No
Oracle Rdb3	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
Pervasive PSQL	Yes	Yes (OEM only)	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
Polyhedra7	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No
PostgreSQL	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	Yes
R:Base	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
RDM Embedded	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No
RDM Server	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No
ScimoreDB	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
SmallSQL2	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No
SQL Anywhere	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	Yes
SQLBase	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
SQLite	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Maybe	Yes	Yes
Superbase	Yes	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No
Teradata	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No
UniData	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No
UniVerse	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No
Xeround Cloud Database	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
	Windows	Mac OS X	Linux	BSD	UNIX	AmigaOS	Symbian	z/OS1	iOS	Android

Data Size Limits

Information about data size limits.

 

	Max DB size	Max table size	Max row size	Max columns per row	Max Blob/Clob size	Max CHAR size	Max NUMBER size	Min DATE value	Max DATE value	Max column name size
4th Dimension	limited	?	?	65135	200 GB (2 GiB Unicode)	200 GB (2 GiB Unicode)	64 bits	?	?	?
Advantage Database Server	Unlimited	16 EiB	65530 B	65135 / (10+ AvgFieldNameLength)	4 GiB	?	64 bits	?	?	128
Apache Derby	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited	1012 (5000 in views)	2 147 483 647 chars	254 (VARCHAR: 32672)	64 bits	0001-01-01	9999-12-31	128
CUBRID	2 EB	2 EB	Unlimited	6400	Unlimited	1 GB	64 bits	0001-01-01	9999-12-31	254
Drizzle	Unlimited	64 TB	8 kB	1000	4 GB (longtext, longblob)	64 kB (text)	64 bits	0001	9999	64
DB2	512 TiB	512 TB	32 677 B	1012	2 GB	32 KiB)	64 bits	0001	9999	128
Empress Embedded Database	Unlimited	263-1 bytes	2 GB	32767	2 GB	2 GB	64 bits	0000-01-01	9999-12-31	32
FileMaker	8TB	8TB	8TB	256,000,000	4GB	10^9 characters	10^9 numbers w/ range 10^-400 to 10^400	0001-01-01	4000-12-31	100
Firebird	Unlimited1	~32 TB	65 536 B	Depends on data types used.	2 GB	32 767 B	64 bits	100	32768	31
HSQLDB	64 TB	Unlimited8	Unlimited8	Unlimited8	64 TB7	Unlimited8	Unlimited8	0001-01-01	9999-12-31	128
H2	64 TB	Unlimited8	Unlimited8	Unlimited8	64 TB7	Unlimited8	64 bits	-99999999	99999999	Unlimited8
	Max DB size	Max table size	Max row size	Max columns per row	Max Blob/Clob size	Max CHAR size	Max NUMBER size	Min DATE value	Max DATE value	Max column name size
Informix Dynamic Server	~128 PB	~128 PB	32 765 bytes (exclusive of large objects)	32765	4 TB	32765	1032	01/01/000110	12/31/9999	128 bytes
Ingres	Unlimited	Unlimited	256 kB	1024	2 GB	32 000 B	64 bits	0001	9999	32
InterBase	Unlimited1	~32 TB	65 536 B	Depends on data types used.	2 GB	32 767 B	64 bits	100	32768	31
Linter SQL RDBMS	Unlimited	230 rows	64 kB (w/o BLOBs), 4 GB (BLOB)	250	4 GB	4 kB	64 bits	0001-01-01	2099-12-31	128
Microsoft Access (JET)	2 GB	2 GB	16 MB	255	64 kB (memo field), 1 GB (“OLE Object” field)	255 B (text field)	32 bits	0100	9999	64
Microsoft Visual Foxpro	Unlimited	2 GB	65 500 B	255	2 GB	16 MB	32 bits	0001	9999	?
Microsoft SQL Server	524 258 TB (32 767 files * 16 TB max file size)	524 258 TB	Unlimited	30000	2 GB	2 GB6	126 bits2	0001	9999	128
Microsoft SQL Server Compact (Embedded Database)	4 GB	4 GB	8060 bytes	1024	500 MB	4000	126 bits 2	0001	9999	128
MySQL 5	Unlimited	MyISAM storage limits: 256 TB; Innodb storage limits: 64 TB	64 kB3	40964	4 GB (longtext, longblob)	64 kB (text)	64 bits	1000	9999	64
OpenLink Virtuoso	32 TB	DB size (or 32 TB)	4K	200	2 GB	2 GB	2**31	0	9999	100
Oracle	Unlimited (4 GB * block size per tablespace)	4 GB * block size (with BIGFILE tablespace)	8 kB	1000	Unlimited	4000 B	126 bits	-4712	9999	30
	Max DB size	Max table size	Max row size	Max columns per row	Max Blob/Clob size	Max CHAR size	Max NUMBER size	Min DATE value	Max DATE value	Max column name size
Polyhedra	Limited by available RAM, address space	232 rows	Unlimited	65536	4 GB (subject to RAM)	4 GB (subject to RAM)	32 bits	0001-01-01	8000-12-31	255
PostgreSQL	Unlimited	32 TB	1.6 TB	250-1600 depending on type	1 GB (text, bytea) – stored inline or 2 GB (stored in pg_largeobject)	1 GB	Unlimited	-4713	5874897	63
RDM Embedded	Unlimited	248-1 rows	32 KB	1000	4 GB	char: 256, varchar: 4 KB	64 bits	0001-01-01	11758978-12-31	31
RDM Server	Unlimited	264-1 rows	32 KB	32768	Unlimited	32 KB	64 bits	0001-01-01	11758978-12-31	32
ScimoreDB	Unlimited	16 EB	8050 B	255	16 TB	8000 B	64 bits	?	?	?
SQL Anywhere	104 TB (13 files, each file up to 8 TB (32k pages))	Limited by file size	Limited by file size	45000	2 GB	2 GB	64 bits	0001-01-01	9999-12-31	?
SQLite	128 TB (231 pages * 64 kB max page size)	Limited by file size	Limited by file size	32767	2 GB	2 GB	64 bits	No DATE type9	No DATE type9	Unlimited
Teradata	Unlimited	Unlimited	64 kB wo/lobs (64 GB w/lobs)	2048	2 GB	10 000	64 bits	?	9999-12-31 Select 80991231 (date);	30
UniVerse	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited
Xeround Cloud Database	Unlimited	Unlimited	32GB, depending on available memory	1000	4GB	64K	64 bits	1000	9999	64
	Max DB size	Max table size	Max row size	Max columns per row	Max Blob/Clob size	Max CHAR size	Max NUMBER size	Min DATE value	Max DATE value	Max column name size

Database capabilities

	Union	Intersect	Except	Inner joins	Outer joins	Inner selects	Merge joins	Blobs and Clobs	Common Table Expressions	Windowing Functions	Parallel Query
4th Dimension	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	?	?	?
ADABAS	Yes	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
Adaptive Server Enterprise	Yes	?	?	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	?	?	Yes
Advantage Database Server	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	?	No	?
Altibase	Yes	?	?	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	?	?	?
Apache Derby	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	?	?	Yes	No	No	?
CUBRID	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	?
Drizzle	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No[70]
DB2	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes[71]
Empress Embedded Database	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	?	?	?
Firebird	Yes	?	?	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	?
HSQLDB	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes[72]	Yes	Yes	No	Yes[73]
H2	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	experimental[74]	No[75]	?
Informix Dynamic Server	Yes	?	Yes, via MINUS	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	?	Yes[76]
Ingres	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	?
InterBase	Yes	?	?	Yes	Yes	?	?	Yes	?	?	?
Linter SQL RDBMS	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	?
LucidDB	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	?	?	?
MaxDB	Yes	?	?	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	?	?	?
Microsoft Access (JET)	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	?
Microsoft Visual Foxpro	Yes	?	?	Yes	Yes	Yes	?	Yes	?	?	?
Microsoft SQL Server	Yes	Yes (2005 and beyond)	Yes (2005 and beyond)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes[77]
Microsoft SQL Server Compact (Embedded Database)	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	?	No	Yes	No	No	?
MonetDB/SQL	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
MySQL	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No[78]	No	No[79]
OpenBase SQL	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	?	?	?
Oracle	Yes	Yes	Yes, via MINUS	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes 1	Yes	Yes[80]
Oracle Rdb	Yes	?	?	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	?	?	?
OpenLink Virtuoso	Yes	?	?	Yes	Yes	Yes	?	Yes	?	?	?
Polyhedra DBMS	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	?	?	Yes	?	?	?
PostgreSQL	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No[81]
RDM Embedded	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No
RDM Server	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No
ScimoreDB	Yes	?	?	Yes	LEFT only	Yes	Yes	Yes	?	?	?
SmallSQL	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
SQL Anywhere	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
SQLite	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	LEFT only	Yes	?	Yes	No	No	?
Teradata	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
UniVerse	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	?
Xeround Cloud Database	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No
	Union	Intersect	Except	Inner joins	Outer joins	Inner selects	Merge joins	Blobs and Clobs	Common Table Expressions	Windowing Functions	Parallel Query

Source: wikipedia

The operating systems that the RDBMSes can run on.