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4D vs Microsoft SQL Server

4D: French integrated database and app-development platform for desktop, client/server and web apps. Microsoft SQL Server: Microsoft's flagship RDBMS: T-SQL, columnstore, Always On, and now native vectors and JSON.

key differences

  • Microsoft SQL Server is built for larger datasets (≤ 1 PB) than 4D (≤ 100 GB).
  • Horizontal scaling is none in 4D and manual in Microsoft SQL Server.
  • Only Microsoft SQL Server has vector search, geospatial, change data capture, materialized views, columnar storage.
  • 4D can run embedded in your application process.

choose 4d for

  • +Vertical ISV business applications for SMBs
  • +Desktop client/server apps on mixed Mac and Windows fleets
  • +Internal line-of-business tools with REST integrations

best at · OLTP, Embedded

choose sql-server for

  • +Line-of-business apps in .NET shops
  • +ERP and CRM back ends (Dynamics, many ISV products)
  • +Operational reporting with columnstore indexes
  • +Departmental data marts feeding Power BI

best at · OLTP, HTAP, Warehouse

4DFrench integrated database and app-development platform for desktop, client/server and web apps.
Microsoft SQL ServerMicrosoft's flagship RDBMS: T-SQL, columnstore, Always On, and now native vectors and JSON.
overview
Primary model
Relational
Relational
Also supports
Object
Document, Spatial, Vector, Graph, XML
Type
Backend platform
Database engine
Status
Active
Active
Developer
4D SAS
Microsoft
First release
1987
1989
Latest version
21 R4 (Oct 12, 2026)
2025 CU10 (17.0.5035.5) (Oct 22, 2026)
License
ProprietaryProprietary commercial license
ProprietaryMicrosoft commercial license
Free tier
—
✓
popularity
WhichDB Score
12.8
71.0
Rank
#261
#8
GitHub stars
–
–
Stack Overflow questions
115
336.2K
scale & guarantees
Comfortable data size
Small (≤ 100 GB)
Large (≤ 1 PB)
Horizontal scaling
None
Manual
Multi-region
None
Read replicas
ACID
Full
Full
Consistency
Strong
Strong
Schema
Strict
Strict
Architecture
Client server, Embedded
Client server, Primary replica, Shared storage
deployment
Self-hosted
✓
✓
Vendor-managed cloud
—
✓
Serverless
—
—
Embedded
✓
—
Edge
—
—
Clouds
–
Azure, AWS, Google Cloud
capabilities
Transactions
✓
✓
Joins
✓
✓
Secondary indexes
✓
✓
Full-text search
✓
✓
Vector search
—
✓
Geospatial
—
✓
JSON
✓
✓
Change data capture
—
✓
Triggers
✓
✓
Stored procedures
✓
✓
Materialized views
—
✓
TTL / expiry
—
—
Pub/Sub
—
—
Columnar storage
—
✓
In-memory
—
✓
Durable persistence
✓
✓
Compression
—
✓
Encryption at rest
✓
✓
Role-based access
✓
✓
Time travel
—
✓
Branching
—
—
Online schema changes
—
✓
Streaming ingest
—
—
Offline sync
—
—
Runs in WebAssembly
—
—
interfaces
Query languages
4D language, ORDA queries, SQL
T-SQL
Client languages
4D, PHP, JavaScript
C#, Java, Python, JavaScript, Go, PHP, Rust, C
Best for
OLTP, Embedded
OLTP, HTAP, Warehouse, Real-time analytics
Add more to this comparisonNot sure either fits? Try smart match

4D vs Microsoft SQL Server: FAQ

What is the difference between 4D and Microsoft SQL Server?

4D: French integrated database and app-development platform for desktop, client/server and web apps. Microsoft SQL Server: Microsoft's flagship RDBMS: T-SQL, columnstore, Always On, and now native vectors and JSON. Microsoft SQL Server is built for larger datasets (≤ 1 PB) than 4D (≤ 100 GB). Horizontal scaling is none in 4D and manual in Microsoft SQL Server. Only Microsoft SQL Server has vector search, geospatial, change data capture, materialized views, columnar storage.

When should I choose 4D over Microsoft SQL Server?

Choose 4D for vertical ISV business applications for SMBs; desktop client/server apps on mixed Mac and Windows fleets; and internal line-of-business tools with REST integrations. Choose Microsoft SQL Server for line-of-business apps in .NET shops; ERP and CRM back ends (Dynamics, many ISV products); and operational reporting with columnstore indexes.

Is 4D or Microsoft SQL Server more popular?

Microsoft SQL Server ranks #8 on the WhichDB Score (71.0/100) and 4D ranks #261 (12.8/100). Popularity is not fit: check the requirements that matter for your project.

Are 4D and Microsoft SQL Server open source?

No. 4D is proprietary, closed-source software. No. Microsoft SQL Server is proprietary, closed-source software. License: Microsoft commercial license.