TiDB

Freemium

pingcap.com

Open-source distributed Hybrid Transactional and Analytical Processing (HTAP) database with full MySQL protocol compatibility.

About TiDB

TiDB is an open-source distributed database system created by PingCAP, recognized globally for pioneering Hybrid Transactional and Analytical Processing (HTAP). Designed to liberate engineering teams from the architectural burden of maintaining separate transactional databases and analytical data warehouses, TiDB processes real-time OLTP transactions and complex OLAP analytics within a single unified platform.

The system is built on a decoupled compute-and-storage architecture featuring two distinct storage engines: TiKV for row-based transactional data and TiFlash for columnar analytical queries. TiDB uses the MySQL wire protocol, enabling development teams to scale MySQL applications horizontally simply by redirecting database connection strings without rewriting queries.

TiDB is available as an open-source software project alongside TiDB Cloud, a fully managed DBaaS running on AWS and Google Cloud. TiDB Cloud offers a generous Serverless free tier for application prototyping alongside scalable dedicated tiers with enterprise security and SLA guarantees.

Key Features

Core capabilities and technical highlights of TiDB

True HTAP architecture unifying row-based OLTP storage (TiKV) and columnar OLAP storage (TiFlash) in one engine.

Native MySQL protocol compatibility supporting standard MySQL drivers, tools, and popular application frameworks.

Decoupled compute and storage layers enabling independent scaling of query processing and distributed disk space.

Automated online horizontal scaling and distributed transactions using Google Percolator-inspired two-phase commits.

Popular Use Cases

How teams, developers, and creators get value from TiDB

1Run complex analytical business intelligence queries directly on live transactional data without slow ETL pipelines.

2Scale high-volume MySQL databases horizontally beyond the storage and write limits of single-node servers.

3Serve high-concurrency e-commerce order processing systems while generating real-time merchant analytics simultaneously.

4Migrate existing MySQL application backends seamlessly to a cloud-native distributed architecture with zero code rewriting.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions and answers regarding TiDB

Is TiDB free to use?

Yes, TiDB is open-source software under the Apache 2.0 license, and TiDB Cloud offers a free Serverless tier with 5 GB storage and monthly request allowances.

What is HTAP?

HTAP stands for Hybrid Transactional and Analytical Processing, allowing a single database to handle high-speed OLTP writes and heavy OLAP analytical queries simultaneously.

Is TiDB compatible with MySQL?

Yes, TiDB is compatible with the MySQL 5.7 and MySQL 8.0 protocols, allowing developers to use standard MySQL tools and ORMs.

What is TiFlash?

TiFlash is TiDB's columnar storage engine that automatically synchronizes with row-based data to accelerate analytical queries without locking production tables.

Who develops TiDB?

TiDB is developed by PingCAP in collaboration with a global open-source community under the Apache 2.0 license.