MongoDB vs WiredTiger
MongoDB: The default document database: flexible BSON documents, rich queries and built-in sharding. WiredTiger: MongoDB's default storage engine: MVCC B-tree with compression and snapshot isolation.
key differences
- MongoDB is primarily a document database; WiredTiger is key-value.
- Licensing: MongoDB is source-available (Server Side Public License v1 (Community); commercial (Enterprise)); WiredTiger is open source (copyleft) (GNU GPL v2 or v3, or MongoDB commercial license).
- MongoDB is built for larger datasets (≤ 1 PB) than WiredTiger (≤ 10 TB).
- Horizontal scaling is native in MongoDB and none in WiredTiger.
- Only MongoDB has joins, secondary indexes, full-text search, vector search, geospatial.
- Only WiredTiger has columnar storage, time travel.
- WiredTiger can run embedded in your application process.
choose mongodb for
- +Product catalogs with highly variable attributes
- +Content management and user-generated content
- +Mobile and web backends that evolve their schema weekly
- +IoT and event data with time-series collections
best at · OLTP, Content, Metadata
choose wiredtiger for
- +Storage engine inside MongoDB
- +Embedding a transactional engine in a custom C system
- +Research on MVCC B-tree storage
best at · Embedded, OLTP
MongoDB vs WiredTiger: FAQ
What is the difference between MongoDB and WiredTiger?
MongoDB: The default document database: flexible BSON documents, rich queries and built-in sharding. WiredTiger: MongoDB's default storage engine: MVCC B-tree with compression and snapshot isolation. MongoDB is primarily a document database; WiredTiger is key-value. Licensing: MongoDB is source-available (Server Side Public License v1 (Community); commercial (Enterprise)); WiredTiger is open source (copyleft) (GNU GPL v2 or v3, or MongoDB commercial license). MongoDB is built for larger datasets (≤ 1 PB) than WiredTiger (≤ 10 TB).
When should I choose MongoDB over WiredTiger?
Choose MongoDB for product catalogs with highly variable attributes; content management and user-generated content; and mobile and web backends that evolve their schema weekly. Choose WiredTiger for storage engine inside MongoDB, embedding a transactional engine in a custom C system and research on MVCC B-tree storage.
Is MongoDB or WiredTiger more popular?
MongoDB ranks #4 on the WhichDB Score (80.5/100) and WiredTiger ranks #155 (20.6/100). Popularity is not fit: check the requirements that matter for your project.
Are MongoDB and WiredTiger open source?
Not in the OSI sense. MongoDB is source-available: you can read the code, but the license restricts some uses, typically offering it as a competing managed service. License: Server Side Public License v1 (Community); commercial (Enterprise). Yes. WiredTiger is open source. License: GNU GPL v2 or v3, or MongoDB commercial license.