Hacker Newsnew | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submitlogin

MongoDB guys call a "database migration" something like "adding a column to a table". They'll tell you it's an incredibly complex and time consuming thing to so, AND THAT"S WHY YOU NEED MONGO!

Of course out here in the real world, an "alter table" statement takes no time at all even on a large table, and can be done while the system is running.

Now I am not saying that MongoDB has no uses at all; but I am saying that the people around it don't really have much of a clue about databases in general and aren't in any sort of a position to be choosing technologies.



Could you please explain to me what you dislike about MongoDB?


I downvoted you before I realized that you coming at this from a position of ignorance rather than ego.

Mongo is a way of storing 'stuff'. You don't have to define the form that the stuff takes before you shove it in the database. This makes things easier by lowering the knowledge barrier to getting started, which is a double-edged sword.


What I've gathered is that the tradeoff of not having to deal with schema migrations now is something I'll have to pay for with data integrity down the road. Do you think that's a good summation?


Yes, that's an excellent way of putting it.


Right. Thanks for the help. I'm gonna move back to Postgres.




Consider applying for YC's Summer 2026 batch! Applications are open till May 4

Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: