mindoodb
Comparison

MindooDB vs. alternatives

MindooDB is designed for specific use cases where end-to-end encryption, offline operation, and multi-party collaboration are essential. Here's how it compares to other database solutions.

Comparison of database solutions: MindooDB, PostgreSQL, Firebase, MongoDB, and blockchains
Quick decision guide

When to choose each solution

Choose MindooDB when:
  • You need end-to-end encryption and cannot trust hosting providers
  • You require offline-first operation for field or remote work
  • You need complete audit trails with cryptographic integrity
  • You collaborate across organizations with fine-grained access
  • You need regulatory compliance (HIPAA, SOX, GDPR, PCI-DSS)
  • You want simple backups without key exposure
Choose alternatives when:
  • You need complex relational queries with SQL joins
  • You have very high write throughput (millions of writes/second)
  • You always have reliable connectivity and don't need offline-first
  • You trust your hosting provider completely with data
  • You need server-side querying of plaintext data
  • You have simple access control that doesn't need document-level encryption
Detailed comparison

Feature-by-feature comparison

vs. PostgreSQL / MySQL (Traditional SQL Databases)
Feature MindooDB PostgreSQL/MySQL
End-to-end encryption ✅ Yes (servers can't decrypt) ❌ No (server-side keys)
Offline-first ✅ Built-in ❌ Requires custom logic
Complex SQL queries ❌ No (document model) ✅ Yes (full SQL support)
Write throughput ⚠️ Good (append-only) ✅ Very high
Audit trails ✅ Built-in (append-only) ⚠️ Requires custom implementation
Multi-org collaboration ✅ Fine-grained access control ⚠️ Server-side access control
Data sovereignty ✅ Client-side tenant creation ❌ Server-managed

Choose PostgreSQL/MySQL when: You need complex relational queries, very high write throughput, or have simple security requirements. Choose MindooDB when: Privacy, offline operation, or multi-party collaboration are primary concerns.

vs. Firebase / Supabase (Cloud Databases)
Feature MindooDB Firebase/Supabase
End-to-end encryption ✅ Yes (servers can't decrypt) ❌ No (server-side keys)
Vendor lock-in ✅ No (client-side tenants) ❌ Yes (cloud-managed)
Offline-first ✅ Built-in by design ⚠️ Supported but not core
Managed infrastructure ❌ Self-hosted or custom ✅ Fully managed
Real-time subscriptions ⚠️ Via sync patterns ✅ Built-in
Multi-org collaboration ✅ Cryptographic access control ⚠️ Server-side access control
Data sovereignty ✅ Complete control ❌ Cloud provider controls

Choose Firebase/Supabase when: You trust your provider completely and want minimal operational overhead. Choose MindooDB when: You need true data sovereignty, offline operation, or cross-organizational collaboration.

vs. MongoDB (NoSQL Document Database)
Feature MindooDB MongoDB
End-to-end encryption ✅ Yes (servers can't decrypt) ❌ No (server-side keys)
Offline-first ✅ Built-in ❌ Requires custom logic
Conflict resolution ✅ Automatic (CRDTs) ⚠️ Manual or last-write-wins
Query flexibility ⚠️ Via Virtual Views/indexing ✅ Rich query language
Audit trails ✅ Built-in (append-only) ⚠️ Requires oplog or custom
Write performance ⚠️ Good (append-only) ✅ Very high
Multi-org collaboration ✅ Cryptographic access control ⚠️ Server-side access control

Choose MongoDB when: You need rich querying, very high write throughput, or have simple security requirements. Choose MindooDB when: Privacy, offline operation, or automatic conflict resolution are priorities.

vs. Blockchains
Feature MindooDB Blockchains
Data privacy ✅ Private by default ❌ Public by default
Performance ✅ High (no consensus) ❌ Lower (consensus overhead)
Cost ✅ Low (no mining fees) ❌ Higher (mining/validator costs)
Public verifiability ❌ Private verification ✅ Anyone can verify
Access control ✅ Fine-grained permissions ❌ All-or-nothing visibility
Audit trails ✅ Append-only, cryptographically chained ✅ Immutable public records
Decentralization ⚠️ Can be centralized or P2P ✅ Fully decentralized

Choose Blockchains when: You need public verifiability and decentralized control. Choose MindooDB when: You need private, high-performance collaboration with strong audit trails.

Migration considerations

Moving from other databases

From SQL databases
  • Convert relational data to document model
  • Map foreign keys to document references
  • Use Virtual Views for cross-database queries
  • Plan for append-only growth patterns

See migration patterns →

From cloud databases
  • Export data from cloud platform
  • Import into MindooDB tenant
  • Set up key distribution for users
  • Plan for offline-first workflows

See migration patterns →