MySQL NDB Cluster vs TiDB
MySQL NDB Cluster: Shared-nothing, auto-sharded in-memory MySQL engine built for telecom-grade availability. TiDB: MySQL-compatible distributed SQL with a row store for OLTP and a columnar replica for real-time analytics.
key differences
- Licensing: MySQL NDB Cluster is open source (copyleft) (GPL-2.0 (Community) / commercial (CGE)); TiDB is open source (permissive) (Apache License 2.0).
- TiDB is built for larger datasets (Multi-PB) than MySQL NDB Cluster (≤ 10 TB).
- Only MySQL NDB Cluster has triggers, stored procedures, in-memory.
- Only TiDB has vector search, ttl / expiry, columnar storage, time travel, branching.
- TiDB has a serverless option; MySQL NDB Cluster does not.
choose mysql-ndb-cluster for
- +Telecom subscriber databases (HLR, HSS, 5G UDM)
- +Online gaming player state
- +Session and user-profile stores needing five-nines uptime
- +Payment authorization with strict availability SLAs
best at · OLTP, Sessions, Cache
choose tidb for
- +Replacing hand-sharded MySQL
- +HTAP dashboards on live transactional data
- +SaaS platforms with very large tenant counts
- +Payment and order systems at internet scale
best at · OLTP, HTAP, Real-time analytics
MySQL NDB Cluster vs TiDB: FAQ
What is the difference between MySQL NDB Cluster and TiDB?
MySQL NDB Cluster: Shared-nothing, auto-sharded in-memory MySQL engine built for telecom-grade availability. TiDB: MySQL-compatible distributed SQL with a row store for OLTP and a columnar replica for real-time analytics. Licensing: MySQL NDB Cluster is open source (copyleft) (GPL-2.0 (Community) / commercial (CGE)); TiDB is open source (permissive) (Apache License 2.0). TiDB is built for larger datasets (Multi-PB) than MySQL NDB Cluster (≤ 10 TB). Only MySQL NDB Cluster has triggers, stored procedures, in-memory.
When should I choose MySQL NDB Cluster over TiDB?
Choose MySQL NDB Cluster for telecom subscriber databases (HLR, HSS, 5G UDM); online gaming player state; and session and user-profile stores needing five-nines uptime. Choose TiDB for replacing hand-sharded MySQL, HTAP dashboards on live transactional data and SaaS platforms with very large tenant counts.
Is MySQL NDB Cluster or TiDB more popular?
TiDB ranks #56 on the WhichDB Score (35.9/100) and MySQL NDB Cluster ranks #283 (11.4/100). Popularity is not fit: check the requirements that matter for your project.
Are MySQL NDB Cluster and TiDB open source?
Yes. MySQL NDB Cluster is open source. License: GPL-2.0 (Community) / commercial (CGE). Yes. TiDB is open source. License: Apache License 2.0.