MaxScale vs ProxySQL: What are the differences?

Key Differences between MaxScale and ProxySQL

MaxScale and ProxySQL are both database proxy servers that serve as intermediaries between client applications and database servers. While they share certain similarities, there are several key differences that set them apart.

1. Architecture: MaxScale is implemented as a multithreaded C++ daemon, whereas ProxySQL is written in C and uses a single-threaded event-driven architecture. This fundamental difference in architecture affects their performance and scalability.

2. Features: MaxScale offers a broader range of features compared to ProxySQL. It includes functionalities like data masking, query routing, query rewriting, and support for multiple database backends. ProxySQL, on the other hand, primarily focuses on providing load balancing, query caching, and query routing capabilities.

3. Administration: MaxScale offers a convenient web-based administration tool called MaxGUI, which provides a graphical interface for managing and configuring the proxy server. ProxySQL, on the other hand, relies on a configuration file that needs to be manually edited to modify settings.

4. Clustering: MaxScale has built-in support for a high-availability cluster, allowing multiple instances of MaxScale to work together smoothly. This ensures that the system remains available even in the event of a failure. ProxySQL, however, does not have native clustering capabilities and requires external solutions like Keepalived for achieving high availability.

5. Database Support: MaxScale supports a wide range of database backends, including MariaDB, MySQL, PostgreSQL, and Amazon Aurora. ProxySQL primarily focuses on MySQL compatibility and lacks support for other database systems.

6. Community Support: ProxySQL has a more active and vibrant community with regular releases, active forums, and extensive documentation. MaxScale, although widely used, has a slightly smaller community and fewer resources available.

In summary, the key differences between MaxScale and ProxySQL lie in their architecture, feature set, administration tools, clustering capabilities, database support, and community engagement. These differences make each proxy server suitable for different use cases and environments.