MySQL or PostgreSQL? A Straight Answer

This decision gets far more debate than it deserves. If you're building a POS, a school system or an e-commerce backend, both databases will handle your data comfortably for years. Pick the one your team can operate confidently.

When PostgreSQL is the better call

• Heavy JSON data you need to query inside, not just store
• Complex reporting with window functions and CTEs
• Geographic data — PostGIS has no real equivalent
• Strict data integrity rules enforced by the database itself

When MySQL is the practical call

Shared hosting and cPanel environments support it everywhere in Bangladesh. Most local developers know it. Most PHP and Laravel tooling assumes it. If your system is straightforward and you may hand it to another local team later, MySQL removes friction.

What actually breaks databases

Not the engine — missing indexes, queries that load everything then filter in code, and no backup policy. We've fixed far more slow systems by adding four indexes than by changing database. Get those right first and the choice barely matters.