Open Source CockroachDB Alternatives

TiDB is a cloud-native distributed SQL database designed for high availability, horizontal and vertical scalability, strong consistency and performance under load. It removes the usual choice between a single node that eventually runs out of room and a sharded arrangement that gives up proper transactions.

Compatibility with MySQL 8.0 means familiar protocols, frameworks and tools keep working, and applications migrate with no code changes or minor ones, helped by a suite of data migration tools. The architecture separates computing from storage, so each side scales independently and without downtime.

A few design decisions define how the database behaves in production.

• ACID transactions: a two-phase commit protocol keeps transactions correct across nodes despite network partitions or node failures.
• Raft consensus: data lives in several replicas and a transaction commits only after a majority write, with automated failover.
• Two storage engines: TiKV holds rows and TiFlash holds columns, replicated in real time so analytics read consistent data.
• Query coordination: the TiDB server plans execution across both engines and sends each part of a query to the one that suits it.
• Replica placement: replicas can be positioned geographically to match a chosen level of disaster tolerance.

Deployment runs in public clouds, on premises or natively on Kubernetes, where TiDB Operator automates cluster operations. All source code including enterprise-grade features carries the Apache 2.0 license, and teams who would rather not operate a cluster can use the managed cloud service or start a local playground to evaluate first.