- Documentdb started as a postgres added before he developed into an independent project
- Linux Foundation’s Adoption signalizes a new era for open document databases
- Mongodbs Restrictive License Decisions created openings for Documentdb’s allowed approach
For years, open source databases have been described as either traditional relational systems or newer NOSQL alternatives.
The emergence of DocumentDB, first introduced by Microsoft and now adopted under the Linux Foundation, blur this gorge.
By combining PostgreSQL with document-oriented storage through extensions, Documentdb places itself as both well-known for developers and disruptive to existing NOSQL players.
From PostgreSQL extensions to a complete project
Its adoption under the permitted MIT license signals a push for wider community participation.
“It’s amazing that Microsoft, AWS and others go together to work at Documentdb, an open source implementation of a Mongodb-compatible API on top of Postgresql,” said Bruce Momjian, basic member of Postgresql Core Development Team.
“We built Documentdb with a simple goal: Give developers an open document database with the flexibility of Nosql and Power, Reliability, Openness and Ecosystem of Postgres,” said Kirill Gavryyl, vice president at Microsoft.
DocumentDB began in 2024 as a couple of PostgreSQL supplies for handling BSON data models and document requests.
Within a year, the project expanded to an independent database that still depends strongly on Postgresql’s reliability and ecosystem.
This double identity, part relational engine and part of document store makes Documentdb attractive to developers seeking a common interface.
Nevertheless, skeptics point out that stratification document features at PostgreSQL do not delete the structural restrictions of relational systems.
The move to bring DocumentDB into the Linux Foundation has attracted support from Amazon Web Services, Google and others.
Their endorsement signalizes a rare moment of adaptation among larger cloud suppliers, especially considering the licensing beings that broke the database world in recent years.
“AWS is pleased to contribute to the Open Source Documentdb project, now supported by the Linux Foundation,” said Adam Abrevaya, director, Amazon Documentdb.
“It’s great to see the DocumentDB project participating in the Linux Foundation, which assures customers and society has an open -minded, open source option available to them,” said Sailesh Krishnamurthy, vice president of engineering, Google Cloud.
Still, critics remember that supplier neutrality has often been more symbolic than practical.
A project supported by Hyperscalers can easily be shaped by their priorities, leaving smaller contributors to wondering how much influence of social management really wants.
The adoption of DocumentDB can also be seen as a response to Mongodb’s decision to embrace restrictive licensing models.
By offering a allowed alternative, the Linux Foundation hopes to push against a more interoperable default for document databases.
Industry’s veterans claim that such a standard is long too late, but the timing is disputed.
However, MongodB continues to dominate the market and its defenders insist that bolt document capacities at PostgreSQL are not replacing a built -in design.
“DocumentDB fills a critical hole in the document database ecosystem and attracts contributors, users and masters. It provides an open standard for document -based applications,” said Jim Zemlin, CEO of the Linux Foundation.
For developers working on Linux -Distros or configuring laptops for programming, DocumentDB may appear as another tool that promising simplicity and openness.
Companies that are considering mobile workstations or SaaS integrations can also see appeal in a standardized Postgres-based NOSQL setting.
Still, reality is less straightforward because success depends on technical profits and the community’s resistance to tilting the greatest suppliers.
