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Database & Data Management · head to head

Packer vs PostgreSQL

P

Packer

Database & Data Management

Build automated machine images

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
PostgreSQL logo

PostgreSQL

Database & Data Management

The world's most advanced open source relational database

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Packer packer 1.10.0 and later is licensed under the Business Source License 1.1 with IBM Corporation as licensor, not an OSI open source licence; PostgreSQL requires manual scaling across multiple machines for very large deployments
  • They diverge on capability: Packer covers Image building, PostgreSQL covers ACID Compliance.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Packer and PostgreSQL actually diverge.

Attributes where Packer and PostgreSQL differ
AttributePackerPostgreSQL
Pricing modelopen-sourceUnknown
PlatformsLinux, Windows, MacLinux, Windows, macOS, BSD, Unix
CategoryUnknownDatabase & Data Management
Founded20131996

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Packer

  • Image building
  • Multi-platform support
  • Provisioners
  • Builders
  • Post-processors
  • Variables
  • Data sources
  • Validation

Only in PostgreSQL

  • ACID Compliance
  • JSON/JSONB Support
  • Full-text Search
  • Extensibility
  • Advanced Indexing
  • Partitioning
  • Replication
  • pgAdmin

Both cover

  • Linux support
  • Windows support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Packer

  • Building identical machine images for multiple clouds from one templatenot PostgreSQL
  • Baking golden AMIs and VM images into a CI pipelinenot PostgreSQL
  • Creating immutable infrastructure artifacts consumed by Terraformnot PostgreSQL

PostgreSQL

  • Transaction processingnot Packer
  • Data storagenot Packer
  • Application backendnot Packer
  • Reportingnot Packer
  • Data analyticsnot Packer

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Packer

  • Packer 1.10.0 and later is licensed under the Business Source License 1.1 with IBM Corporation as licensor, not an OSI open source licence
  • The Additional Use Grant forbids offering Packer to third parties on a hosted or embedded basis in a paid product that competes with IBM's paid versions of Packer
  • Each version converts to the MPL 2.0 Change License only four years after that version is first published, and the Change Date is set separately per version
  • Alternative licensing for uses outside the grant must be arranged with the licensor rather than taken under the public licence

PostgreSQL

  • Requires manual scaling across multiple machines for very large deployments
  • Performance tuning requires deep knowledge of database internals
  • No built-in graphical admin interface; command-line tools are primary method

Pricing, plan by plan

Packer

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Multi-platform image building
    • Template-driven
    • Provisioner support

PostgreSQL

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the PostgreSQL review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Packer if

  • You need image building.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Windows, Mac.
  • You also want multi-platform support.
Packer review

Choose PostgreSQL if

  • You need acid compliance.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Windows, macOS, BSD, Unix.
  • You also want json/jsonb support.
PostgreSQL review

Questions people ask

Is Packer or PostgreSQL better?
Neither clearly leads. Packer starts at Free and PostgreSQL at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Packer or PostgreSQL?
Packer starts at Free and PostgreSQL at Free.
Does Packer or PostgreSQL run on more platforms?
Packer runs on Linux, Windows, Mac. PostgreSQL runs on Linux, Windows, macOS, BSD, Unix.
Can I use Packer for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Packer best used for?
Packer is most often used for building identical machine images for multiple clouds from one template, baking golden amis and vm images into a ci pipeline, creating immutable infrastructure artifacts consumed by terraform. Of those, building identical machine images for multiple clouds from one template and baking golden amis and vm images into a ci pipeline are not what PostgreSQL is typically brought in for.
What can Packer do that PostgreSQL cannot?
Packer covers Image building, Multi-platform support, Provisioners, Builders. PostgreSQL covers ACID Compliance, JSON/JSONB Support, Full-text Search, Extensibility. Both handle Linux support, Windows support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

PostgreSQL: Is PostgreSQL completely free?

Yes. PostgreSQL is completely free and open source with no licensing fees or restrictions on use.

Source
PostgreSQL: What platforms does PostgreSQL run on?

PostgreSQL runs on all major operating systems including Linux, Windows, macOS, BSD, and commercial Unix variants, and has been proven highly scalable managing terabytes to petabytes of data.

Source
PostgreSQL: What procedural languages are supported?

PostgreSQL supports stored functions and procedures in multiple languages including PL/pgSQL, Perl, Python, Tcl, Java, JavaScript, R, and Rust.

Source
PostgreSQL: What is ACID compliance in PostgreSQL?

PostgreSQL has been ACID-compliant since 2001, ensuring data integrity through atomicity, consistency, isolation, and durability guarantees for all transactions.

Source
PostgreSQL: Does PostgreSQL support JSON data?

Yes. PostgreSQL supports JSON and JSONB data types for storing and querying JSON documents, along with XML and other document formats.

Source
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