Top 5 Databases to Learn in 2025

Data is more critical than ever in 2025, making robust database management systems (DBMS) essential. As a database administrator (DBA), you know managing increasingly complex data requires continuous learning. This article helps you stay ahead by identifying five key database systems—including PostgreSQL with its ACID properties and scalable MongoDB—that are projected to be highly valuable to learn in 2025. We explore why these databases are important for modern data management, particularly with the rise of cloud solutions, ensuring you can effectively manage data and optimize performance in today’s evolving landscape.

1. Introduction (background and overview)

Data is more important than ever in 2025 and beyond. Companies rely on data to make smart choices, understand their customers, and stay ahead of the competition. This means managing data effectively is crucial. ⚠️

The world of data management is getting more complex. There are more types of data than ever before, and companies need to store and process it quickly and reliably. To handle this, Database Administrators (DBAs) need to keep their skills sharp and stay up-to-date with the latest technologies. 💡

A Database Management System (DBMS) is like the brain of a company’s data. It’s a software application that helps users, other programs, and the database itself work together. The DBMS lets you store, organize, change, and find data easily. It’s how we capture and analyze information to make it useful.

Several things affect how popular a database is. These include:

• Performance: How fast can the database handle requests?
• Scalability: Can the database grow to handle more data and users?
• Cost: How much does it cost to use and maintain the database?
• Community Support: Is there a large and helpful community of users and developers?
• Specific Use Cases: Is the database well-suited for particular tasks, like handling financial transactions or analyzing social media data?

🎯 This article will explore 5 database systems that are worthwhile for DBAs to learn in 2025. We’ll look at current trends and what the future might hold. Keep in mind that the best database for you depends on your specific needs and what you want to achieve.

I. Choosing the Right Database

Choosing the right database is like picking the right tool for a job. You need to consider what you want to build and what kind of data you will be working with.

II. Why Stay Updated?

The database world changes fast. New technologies and approaches appear all the time. DBAs who keep learning are more valuable and can help their companies succeed.

III. Factors Influencing Database Popularity

2. Cloud Databases and the Rise of Specialized Solutions

The way companies store and manage data is changing. More and more businesses are moving their databases to the cloud. This shift affects what DBAs do and what skills they need. Many companies are even using multiple clouds (multi-cloud deployments) to store their data!

I. Why Cloud Databases are Popular

Cloud databases are becoming popular for a few main reasons:

• Scalability: ⬆️ Cloud databases can easily grow or shrink as your data needs change. You only pay for what you use.
• Cost-Effectiveness: 💰 Cloud providers handle the hardware and infrastructure, which can save you money.
• Managed Services: 🛠️ Cloud providers offer services that automate tasks like backups, security, and updates. This frees up DBAs to focus on other things.
• Reduced Operational Overhead: Cloud databases handle a lot of the behind-the-scenes work, letting you focus on using your data.

II. The Rise of Specialized Databases

Not all data is the same, and not all databases are the same. There’s a trend toward databases that are designed for specific tasks. Here are some examples:

• OLTP (Online Transaction Processing): 🛒 These databases are good for handling lots of small transactions, like online shopping or banking.
• OLAP (Online Analytical Processing): 📊 These databases are designed for analyzing large amounts of data to find trends and insights.
• NoSQL: 🌐 These databases are flexible and can handle different types of data, like documents, graphs, or key-value pairs.

III. The Power of Data Warehouses

One specialized type of database that is becoming very popular is the data warehouse. 💡 A data warehouse is like a central storage place for all the data from different parts of a company. This data is cleaned and organized so that it can be easily analyzed.

Databases like Snowflake are specifically built for data warehousing and analytics. Snowflake has become very popular because it is easy to use and can handle large amounts of data.

Here’s a simple explanation of what a data warehouse does:

IV. What This Means for DBAs

DBAs need to understand these specialized databases to manage data effectively. They need to know:

• What types of databases are available.
• Which databases are best for different tasks.
• How to manage and optimize these databases.

By understanding these specialized solutions, DBAs can help their companies get the most value from their data. 🎯

3. Top 5 Databases to Learn in 2025

Choosing the right database to learn can significantly boost your career as a DBA. The following databases are highly relevant in 2025 and offer excellent opportunities for professional growth.

I. PostgreSQL

PostgreSQL is a powerful, open-source database system. It’s known for its reliability, feature set, and strong community support. 💡 Because it’s open source, you can use it without paying license fees.

• ACID Properties: PostgreSQL follows ACID properties, which are crucial for ensuring data accuracy. ACID stands for:

  • Atomicity: All parts of a transaction are treated as one single “unit.” Either all changes are applied, or none are.
  • Consistency: A transaction must maintain the integrity of the data. It moves the database from one valid state to another.
  • Isolation: Transactions are isolated from each other. One transaction cannot interfere with another.
  • Durability: Once a transaction is committed, it remains committed, even in the event of a system failure.

• Suitability: PostgreSQL is great for web applications, data warehousing, and mobile apps.

• Advanced Features: It offers advanced features like JSON support (for storing flexible data), GIS capabilities (for location-based data), and robust security features to protect your data.

II. MySQL

MySQL is another popular open-source database. It is known for its ease of use and large ecosystem. It’s often used with PHP and other web development technologies, forming the LAMP stack (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP).

• Suitability: MySQL is well-suited for web applications and online transaction processing (OLTP).
• OLTP: Online transaction processing (OLTP) is a type of data processing that involves executing a large number of transactions in real-time. Think of online banking or e-commerce sites.
• Distributions: You can choose from different versions of MySQL, like the free Community Edition or the paid Enterprise Edition. Many cloud providers also offer managed MySQL services.

III. MongoDB

MongoDB is a NoSQL database. This means it doesn’t use the traditional table-based structure of relational databases like PostgreSQL or MySQL. Instead, it uses a document-oriented data model.

• NoSQL: NoSQL databases are useful when you need to store data that doesn’t fit neatly into tables, or when you need to scale your database easily.
• Suitability: MongoDB is a good choice for applications with flexible schemas (data structures) and evolving data requirements. For example, it’s often used for content management systems, mobile apps, and real-time analytics.
• Scalability: MongoDB is designed for horizontal scaling, which means you can add more servers to handle more data and traffic. This makes it suitable for distributed deployments.

IV. Microsoft SQL Server

Microsoft SQL Server is a powerful, enterprise-grade database system. It’s tightly integrated with the Microsoft ecosystem, making it a good choice for companies that use Windows servers and .NET applications.

• Suitability: SQL Server is suitable for business-critical applications, data warehousing, and reporting.
• Editions: Microsoft offers various editions of SQL Server, ranging from the free SQL Server Express to the full-featured SQL Server Enterprise. Azure SQL Database is a cloud-based version of SQL Server.

V. Oracle

Oracle is a long-standing, comprehensive database system known for its enterprise-level performance and extensive feature set. 🎯 It’s often used for very large databases and mission-critical applications.

• Suitability: Oracle is a good choice for organizations that need high performance, scalability, and reliability.
• Advanced Features: Oracle offers advanced features like Real Application Clusters (RAC) for high availability and Exadata engineered systems for extreme performance.

4. The Evolving Role of the DBA and the Importance of Automation

The job of a Database Administrator (DBA) is changing. It’s not just about keeping the database running smoothly anymore. Today’s DBAs need to understand cloud technologies, automation, and how databases fit into the bigger picture of software development.

I. Beyond Traditional DBA Tasks

DBAs used to spend most of their time on tasks like:

• Installing and configuring databases
• Backing up and restoring data
• Tuning database performance
• Managing user access

While these tasks are still important, the modern DBA needs to do much more. They need to understand how cloud databases work, how to automate tasks, and how to work with developers in a DevOps environment.

II. Cloud, Automation, and DevOps Skills

The rise of cloud databases means DBAs need new skills. They need to know how to:

• Manage databases in the cloud (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud)
• Automate database tasks using scripting and tools
• Work with developers to build and deploy applications faster (DevOps)

III. Learning Scripting Languages and Automation Tools

To succeed as a DBA in 2025, it’s important to learn scripting languages like Python and Bash. You should also learn how to use automation tools like Ansible and Terraform. These tools can help you automate many database tasks, such as:

• Creating and configuring databases
• Deploying database changes
• Monitoring database performance
• Backing up and restoring data

Here’s a simple example of using a Bash script to back up a database:

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#!/bin/bash
# This script backs up a PostgreSQL database

DATABASE_NAME="mydatabase"
BACKUP_DIR="/backups"
TIMESTAMP=$(date +%Y%m%d%H%M%S)
BACKUP_FILE="$BACKUP_DIR/$DATABASE_NAME-$TIMESTAMP.sql"

pg_dump -U postgres -d $DATABASE_NAME -f $BACKUP_FILE

echo "Database backup created: $BACKUP_FILE"

🎯 Learning these skills will make you a more valuable and effective DBA in the years to come. Automation is key to managing the increasing complexity of modern database environments.

Recommended reading

• SQL Optimization Course
• SQL optimization knowledge
• Database industry knowledge

What is SQLFlash?

SQLFlash is your AI-powered SQL Optimization Partner.

Based on AI models, we accurately identify SQL performance bottlenecks and optimize query performance, freeing you from the cumbersome SQL tuning process so you can fully focus on developing and implementing business logic.

How to use SQLFlash in a database?

• SQLFlash + MySQL

• SQLFlash + PostgreSQL