The Linux Foundation has officially welcomed Microsoft’s DocumentDB into its roster of open-source projects, signaling a significant shift in the landscape of document databases. The project, now under the permissive MIT license, represents a strategic move in response to MongoDB’s controversial licensing changes in 2018, which saw the introduction of the Server Side Public License (SSPL). This shift has raised concerns among developers and companies about the implications for cloud services and the competitive landscape.
Background on Licensing Trends
In recent years, many companies leveraging open-source projects have opted for more restrictive licenses to protect their innovations from being used by larger cloud providers like AWS, Google, and Microsoft. The fear of these hyperscalers utilizing proprietary code to gain market advantages has led to a trend towards licenses that limit usage and distribution. However, such restrictive licenses, including the SSPL, have not gained widespread acceptance. For instance, Redis recently transitioned from the SSPL to the more permissive AGPL license, highlighting a growing preference for flexibility in open-source licensing.
DocumentDB’s Development Journey
Microsoft initiated the development of DocumentDB in 2024, creating a set of PostgreSQL extensions designed to support Binary JavaScript Object Notation (BSON) data models and MongoDB-compatible operations. This innovative approach aims to bridge the gap between relational and non-relational databases, offering developers a versatile NoSQL datastore built on the robust foundation of PostgreSQL.
Relational databases rely on structured schemas and SQL for data management, ensuring atomicity, consistency, isolation, and durability (ACID) guarantees. In contrast, NoSQL databases prioritize performance and flexibility, often utilizing key-value pairs or JSON to handle unstructured data. DocumentDB’s design seeks to harmonize these two methodologies, providing developers with a powerful tool for diverse data management needs.
Community Response and Future Prospects
Upon the official release of DocumentDB in January, Microsoft emphasized the project’s MIT license, which allows users complete freedom to fork, use, and distribute the software without the obligation to contribute back. Abinav Rameesh, a principal program manager at Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB, highlighted this commitment to openness, stating that contributions are encouraged but not mandated.
The emergence of DocumentDB can be seen as a response to the challenges posed by MongoDB’s licensing practices. In 2023, the startup FerretDB launched its own PostgreSQL alternative to MongoDB, advocating for a standardized query language across document databases. This initiative gained momentum within the Document Database Community, aiming to create an open standard that addresses the limitations of existing solutions.
FerretDB’s CEO, Peter Farkas, recounted a moment of clarity during a confrontation with MongoDB executives, who expressed their disapproval of FerretDB’s compatible product. This encounter underscored the need for an open standard in the industry, a sentiment that has now been validated with the Linux Foundation’s adoption of DocumentDB.
Microsoft’s commitment to DocumentDB reflects a broader industry trend towards transparency and collaboration. Kirill Gavrylyuk, a Microsoft VP, stated that the company aims to provide developers with an open document database that combines the flexibility of NoSQL with the reliability of PostgreSQL. The enthusiastic reception of DocumentDB by the community reinforces the potential for this project to thrive as a cornerstone of open-source document databases moving forward.
