IvorySQL
activeby IvorySQL community (sponsored by HighGo Software) · since 2021 · also known as Ivory SQL
Apache-licensed PostgreSQL distribution with an Oracle-compatible mode, PL/iSQL and Oracle packages.
Overview
IvorySQL is an open-source distribution of PostgreSQL, sponsored by China's HighGo Software, that adds an Oracle compatibility layer you can switch on per instance. In Oracle mode it accepts Oracle-style syntax and data types, a PL/SQL-like procedural language (PL/iSQL), packages, built-in Oracle functions and a separate Oracle-compatible listener port, while the PostgreSQL mode stays stock. It tracks upstream closely (5.6 is based on PostgreSQL 18.6) and keeps extension compatibility, making it an open alternative to commercial Oracle-compatible Postgres builds. Compatibility coverage is still narrower than EDB's, and most of the community is in China.
Strengths & trade-offs
Strengths
- +Oracle-compatible syntax, packages and PL/iSQL under a permissive license
- +Switchable compatibility mode keeps a normal PostgreSQL mode available
- +Tracks upstream PostgreSQL minor releases quickly
- +Works with the standard PostgreSQL extension ecosystem
- +Kubernetes operator and containers available
Trade-offs
- −Oracle compatibility is less complete than commercial alternatives
- −Community and documentation are concentrated in China
- −Few managed cloud offerings
- −Smaller production track record than EDB or Postgres Pro
Great for
- +Open-source Oracle-to-PostgreSQL migrations
- +Running Oracle-style PL/SQL code on Postgres
- +Teams wanting Oracle syntax without commercial licensing
Think twice for
- −Apps needing near-complete Oracle behavior parity
- −Organizations needing global 24x7 vendor support
- −Teams with no Oracle legacy (use stock PostgreSQL)
Capabilities
Native or official first-party support · 14 of 25 tracked
Scale & consistency
- Comfortable data size
- Medium · ≤ 10 TB
- Horizontal scaling
- Addon
- Multi-region
- Read replicas
- Transactions
- Full ACID
- Consistency
- Strong
- Schema
- Strict
- Architecture
- Single node, Primary replica, Client server
- Query languages
- SQL, PL/pgSQL, PL/iSQL (Oracle-compatible)
Same scaling model as PostgreSQL: vertical plus streaming replicas.
Deployment
Ecosystem
Alternatives to IvorySQL
The extensible, standards-first open-source relational database.
ivorysql vs postgresql →EnterpriseDB's PostgreSQL with deep Oracle compatibility: PL/SQL packages, DBMS_* and TDE.
ivorysql vs edb-postgres-advanced-server →Russian commercial PostgreSQL distribution with multimaster, 64-bit XIDs and compressed storage.
ivorysql vs postgres-pro →The enterprise heavyweight: RAC, Data Guard and a converged engine for SQL, JSON, graph and vectors.
ivorysql vs oracle-database →Huawei-originated open-source RDBMS forked from PostgreSQL, with in-memory and column engines.
ivorysql vs opengauss →The web's default open-source SQL database, now on calendar versioning with 9.7 as the LTS line.
ivorysql vs mysql →IvorySQL FAQ
What is IvorySQL?
IvorySQL is a relational database by IvorySQL community (sponsored by HighGo Software), first released in 2021. IvorySQL is an open-source distribution of PostgreSQL, sponsored by China's HighGo Software, that adds an Oracle compatibility layer you can switch on per instance. In Oracle mode it accepts Oracle-style syntax and data types, a PL/SQL-like procedural language (PL/iSQL), packages, built-in Oracle functions and a separate Oracle-compatible listener port, while the PostgreSQL mode stays stock. It tracks upstream closely (5.6 is based on PostgreSQL 18.6) and keeps extension compatibility, making it an open alternative to commercial Oracle-compatible Postgres builds. Compatibility coverage is still narrower than EDB's, and most of the community is in China.
Is IvorySQL open source?
Yes. IvorySQL is open source. License: Apache License 2.0.
Does IvorySQL support ACID transactions?
Yes. IvorySQL supports full ACID transactions, with strong consistency.
Does IvorySQL scale horizontally?
IvorySQL scales horizontally through an official extension, proxy or edition rather than in the core engine. It is comfortable at medium scale (≤ 10 TB). It supports cross-region read replicas.
How can I run IvorySQL?
You can self-host it.
What is IvorySQL best for?
IvorySQL is a strong fit for open-source Oracle-to-PostgreSQL migrations, running Oracle-style PL/SQL code on Postgres and teams wanting Oracle syntax without commercial licensing. Think twice for apps needing near-complete Oracle behavior parity.
What are the best alternatives to IvorySQL?
Common alternatives to IvorySQL include PostgreSQL, EDB Postgres Advanced Server, Postgres Pro, Oracle Database and openGauss. The right choice depends on your workload, scale and hosting; WhichDB's smart match ranks them against your requirements.
How popular is IvorySQL?
IvorySQL ranks #384 of 844 databases on the WhichDB Score (5.5/100), and #122 among relational databases. The score combines public adoption signals such as package downloads, GitHub activity, job posts and developer discussion.