Most Desired Database Three Years Running: PostgreSQL's Developer Appeal
PostgreSQL is having more than just a moment—it’s establishing a clear pattern of sustained excellence. For the third consecutive year, this community-driven database has claimed the top spot in the 2025 results for Stack Overflow’s Annual Developer Survey, and the results reveal both what developers value today and where the database landscape is heading.
The survey results show that PostgreSQL is ranked the highest among all database technologies for developers that want to use it in the next year (47%) or have used it this year and want to continue using it next year (66%) for the third year in a row.
The Numbers Tell a Compelling Story
The survey data from over 49,000 developers across 177 countries provides clear evidence of PostgreSQL’s sustained appeal. Since 2023, PostgreSQL has consistently ranked as both the most desired and most admired database technology among developers.
Looking at the specific metrics from the survey visualizations, PostgreSQL leads with 46.5% of developers wanting to work with it in the coming year, while an impressive 65.5% of those who have used it want to continue doing so. These aren’t just impressive numbers—they represent a consistency that’s rare in the rapidly changing technology landscape.
The survey data also reveals an interesting pattern among developers currently using other database technologies. Developers working with MongoDB and Redis show a particularly strong desire to add PostgreSQL to their toolkit next year, seeing the value in adding relational database skills to their repertoire.
The Community Advantage in Action
Why has PostgreSQL achieved this level of sustained success? The answer lies in its community-driven development model. As an open source project, PostgreSQL benefits from collaborative development that is both transparent and responsive to real-world needs.
The PostgreSQL project represents the best of what community-driven development can achieve. With over 400 code contributors across more than 140 supporting companies, the project boasts over 55,000 commits and more than 1.6 million lines of carefully crafted code. This diverse, globally distributed approach to development results in more thorough testing, faster bug fixes, and more innovative features than traditional commercial development models typically achieve.
Major versions are released annually with approximately 180 features per release, complemented by quarterly minor releases that include numerous improvements and fixes. This steady cadence of innovation consistently contributed by individuals all over the world ensures PostgreSQL doesn’t just keep pace with developer needs—it anticipates them. More than that, every individual has the agency to contribute to the project to ensure that anywhere the software is lagging behind, functionality changes to address modern demands.
More Than Just a Relational Database
One key factor in PostgreSQL’s broad appeal is that it’s not limited to being just a relational database system. PostgreSQL is object-relational by design, capable of handling diverse data types including JSON/JSONB, XML, Key-Value, geometric, geospatial, native UUID, and time-series data. This versatility explains why developers from NoSQL backgrounds find PostgreSQL attractive—it offers relational reliability while maintaining the flexibility they’re accustomed to.
The extensive support for different data types, combined with ACID (Atomicity, Consistency, Isolation, Durability) characteristics, enables optimized, performant, and reliable data handling regardless of the specific requirements in place. Additionally, PostgreSQL’s huge community-driven extension network builds on its native extensibility, providing solutions for geospatial handling, disaster recovery, high availability infrastructure, monitoring, auditing, and much more.
The Broader Database Landscape
While PostgreSQL dominates the top positions, the survey reveals a healthy, competitive database ecosystem. The complete rankings show:
Most Desired Databases:
- PostgreSQL: 46.5%
- SQLite: 28.3%
- Redis: 23.5%
- MySQL: 20.5%
- MongoDB: 17.6%
Most Admired Databases:
- PostgreSQL: 65.5%
- SQLite: 59%
- Redis: 54.9%
- MongoDB: 45.7%
- MySQL: 43.2%
These numbers reflect a diverse ecosystem where different databases serve specific purposes. SQLite’s strong performance highlights the continued importance of lightweight, embedded solutions. Redis maintains its position as a highly regarded specialized database for caching and real-time applications. Traditional databases like MySQL and Microsoft SQL Server continue to hold significant positions, while newer technologies like DuckDB show impressive admiration scores despite lower usage rates.
The Foundation of PostgreSQL’s Enduring Success
Three consecutive years at the top of developer preferences doesn’t happen by accident. PostgreSQL’s sustained dominance stems from fundamental strengths that continue to serve developers well as technology landscapes shift. The resilience built into PostgreSQL through its community-driven development model means it adapts without losing stability. Its extensibility sets it apart in practical ways—rather than waiting for vendor roadmaps or worrying about feature gaps, developers can build what they need or leverage the extensive ecosystem of community extensions. The open source nature ensures PostgreSQL remains focused on developer needs rather than business models, with bug fixes happening quickly and features developing based on real-world use cases.
After 35 years of active development and three consecutive years as the most desired database technology, PostgreSQL has proven that community-driven open source development can deliver both immediate utility and long-term value. For developers and organizations looking at their database choices, PostgreSQL offers something increasingly rare: a technology that gets better over time without leaving its users behind.