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Google Cloud Spanner vs Google F1

Google Cloud Spanner: Google's globally consistent, horizontally scaling SQL service with graph, vector and full-text built in. Google F1: Google's internal distributed SQL database on Spanner that replaced sharded MySQL for AdWords.

key differences

  • Google Cloud Spanner is built for larger datasets (Multi-PB) than Google F1 (≤ 1 PB).
  • Only Google Cloud Spanner has full-text search, vector search, json, ttl / expiry, compression.

choose google-cloud-spanner for

  • +Global financial ledgers and payment systems
  • +Gaming backends with worldwide player state
  • +Inventory and supply-chain systems of record
  • +Identity and metadata services at very high write rates

best at · OLTP, Traversal, Vector search

choose google-f1 for

  • +Reference design for distributed SQL on a strongly consistent store
  • +Studying online schema-change protocols
  • +Background for choosing Spanner, CockroachDB or YugabyteDB

best at · OLTP, OLAP, HTAP

overview
Primary model
Relational
Relational
Also supports
Graph, Key-Value, Vector, Search Engine
–
Type
Managed service
Research prototype
Status
Active
Active
Developer
Google
Google
First release
2017
2012
Latest version
–
–
License
ProprietaryProprietary (Google Cloud service)
ProprietaryInternal Google software (not distributed)
Free tier
—
—
popularity
WhichDB Score
34.5
0.0
Rank
#59
#745
GitHub stars
–
–
Stack Overflow questions
733
–
scale & guarantees
Comfortable data size
Massive (Multi-PB)
Large (≤ 1 PB)
Horizontal scaling
Native
Native
Multi-region
Active active
Active active
ACID
Full
Full
Consistency
Strong
Strong
Schema
Strict
Strict
Architecture
Distributed, Multi primary
Distributed, Multi primary
deployment
Self-hosted
—
—
Vendor-managed cloud
✓
—
Serverless
—
—
Embedded
—
—
Edge
—
—
Clouds
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
GoogleSQL, PostgreSQL dialect, GQL
SQL
Client languages
Java, Go, Python, JavaScript, C#, C++, PHP, Ruby
–
Best for
OLTP, Traversal, Vector search, Search
OLTP, OLAP, HTAP

Google Cloud Spanner vs Google F1: FAQ

What is the difference between Google Cloud Spanner and Google F1?

Google Cloud Spanner: Google's globally consistent, horizontally scaling SQL service with graph, vector and full-text built in. Google F1: Google's internal distributed SQL database on Spanner that replaced sharded MySQL for AdWords. Google Cloud Spanner is built for larger datasets (Multi-PB) than Google F1 (≤ 1 PB). Only Google Cloud Spanner has full-text search, vector search, json, ttl / expiry, compression.

When should I choose Google Cloud Spanner over Google F1?

Choose Google Cloud Spanner for global financial ledgers and payment systems; gaming backends with worldwide player state; and inventory and supply-chain systems of record. Choose Google F1 for reference design for distributed SQL on a strongly consistent store; studying online schema-change protocols; and background for choosing Spanner, CockroachDB or YugabyteDB.

Is Google Cloud Spanner or Google F1 more popular?

Google Cloud Spanner ranks #59 on the WhichDB Score (34.5/100) and Google F1 ranks #745 (0.0/100). Popularity is not fit: check the requirements that matter for your project.

Are Google Cloud Spanner and Google F1 open source?

No. Google Cloud Spanner is proprietary, closed-source software. No. Google F1 is proprietary, closed-source software. License: Internal Google software (not distributed).