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PostgreSQL instead of Oracle: migration and new development

We have known Oracle in depth since 1998 and PostgreSQL since 2014. That makes us an honest partner for the question of whether and how you should switch.

Two databases, one honest recommendation

We have worked with Oracle since 1998 and just as intensively with PostgreSQL since 2014. We do not sell migrations for their own sake. If your Oracle application runs stably and the costs are bearable, we will say so. But if licences, support contracts and hardware requirements grow every year while the application gets no new features, PostgreSQL is in most cases the better foundation for the next ten years.

What a migration actually involves

Schema. Data types, sequences, constraints, indexes. Much of it is standard SQL, some of it Oracle-specific: NUMBER precision, DATE with time, VARCHAR2 semantics for empty strings. We know these pitfalls and fix them in the schema, not later in the application.

Logic. Packages, procedures, triggers. PL/pgSQL resembles PL/SQL but is not identical. For each building block we decide whether it is translated to PL/pgSQL or moved into a Go back end. The result is logic that is tested and documented, not merely transferred.

Application. Oracle Forms and APEX do not run on PostgreSQL. The user interface is rebuilt: Vue.js in the browser or Flutter for web, mobile and desktop. This is the part where business departments finally get the features they have been waiting for. More on Oracle Forms modernisation.

Data. Test migration with timing, record reconciliation, then the cutover in a maintenance window or a parallel phase.

Operations. PostgreSQL needs monitoring, backups and updates like any database. On request we run it on European servers. More on hosting and operations.

New applications on PostgreSQL

For new development PostgreSQL is our first choice, with Go as the back end and Vue.js or Flutter as the user interface. Row-level security for tenant separation, JSON columns for flexible structures, PostGIS for geodata: these are not add-on modules with licence fees but part of the database. The map tool for DB InfraGO uses PostGIS and QGIS for interactive maps in the browser; EasyFlow Business uses row-level security for multi-tenant operation.

How we work

You talk to the developers who read your packages. We start with an analysis that makes the effort measurable and with a pilot module that shows you the result. AI tools speed up the translation of logic and the writing of tests considerably. The architecture and every decision about your data stay with experienced engineers.

Frequently asked questions

Is a migration from Oracle to PostgreSQL worth it?

Usually when licence and support costs are a major item, the application needs to be reworked anyway, or you want to reduce dependency on a single vendor. It is not worth it when a stable application is deeply intertwined with Oracle-specific features and nothing else is pressing. We work through the numbers with you before you commit.

What happens to our PL/SQL code?

PostgreSQL has a very similar procedural language, PL/pgSQL. Much can be translated directly, some has to be restructured: packages, autonomous transactions, certain date functions, sequences. Logic that belongs in the application is moved into a Go back end. AI tools speed up the translation noticeably; every part is reviewed and tested by us.

Can PostgreSQL match the performance of our Oracle database?

For the vast majority of business applications, yes. PostgreSQL is on a par in transactions, indexing, partitioning, JSON and full-text search, and with PostGIS it leads in geodata. What matters is tuning the data model and queries for PostgreSQL instead of carrying over Oracle habits one to one.

How does the data transfer work without a long outage?

We migrate the schema first, then the data in a test run, and measure the duration. For the actual cutover there is either a short maintenance window or a parallel phase with synchronisation, depending on data volume. We agree the procedure with your IT.

Do you also build new applications directly on PostgreSQL?

Yes, for new projects PostgreSQL is our first choice. On top of it we build a Go back end with a REST API and, as the user interface, Vue.js in the browser or Flutter for web, iOS, Android and desktop. The map tool for DB InfraGO and EasyFlow Business run on exactly this stack.

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