In a significant move aimed at reducing enterprise costs and mitigating vendor lock-in, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft, and Google have collectively endorsed the Linux Foundation’s DocumentDB project. This collaboration marks a pivotal shift in the database landscape, offering businesses a robust, open-source alternative to proprietary NoSQL databases.
A Unified Stand Against Proprietary Constraints
The DocumentDB project, initially developed by Microsoft in early 2025, has rapidly gained traction within the developer community. By transitioning to the Linux Foundation, the project has garnered support from major industry players, including AWS and Google. This alliance aims to establish a vendor-neutral, open-source standard for document databases, challenging the dominance of proprietary solutions like MongoDB.
Leveraging PostgreSQL for Enhanced Compatibility
At its core, DocumentDB is built upon PostgreSQL, a widely adopted open-source relational database. This foundation ensures that DocumentDB benefits from PostgreSQL’s mature ecosystem, including tools for monitoring, backups, and ACID compliance. Additionally, DocumentDB introduces extensions that provide first-class BSON (Binary JSON) datatype support and document-style query capabilities, making it compatible with popular MongoDB drivers.
“It’s great that Microsoft, AWS and others are joining forces to work on DocumentDB, an open source implementation of a MongoDB-compatible API on top of PostgreSQL. Microsoft and AWS already work together to enhance Postgres, so it is logical they would use the high-quality Postgres source code and leverage its extensibility to meet the need for an open source document database,” said Bruce Momjian, founding member of the PostgreSQL core development team. “The idea of using Postgres in this way has been around for a long time so I am glad it is now getting serious traction. DocumentDB should be an interesting alternative to users wanting an open source implementation, and for database users who just want a simpler interface to PostgreSQL.”
Implications for Enterprise Data Strategies
For enterprises, the adoption of DocumentDB presents a strategic opportunity to reduce dependency on proprietary database vendors. By embracing this open-source solution, organizations can achieve greater flexibility and control over their data infrastructure.
Moreover, DocumentDB’s alignment with PostgreSQL ensures that enterprises can leverage a proven, reliable database system, while also benefiting from the scalability and performance characteristics of document databases.
Looking Ahead
As AI applications increasingly rely on semi-structured data, the demand for efficient document databases continues to grow. The collaborative efforts of AWS, Microsoft, and Google in supporting DocumentDB underscore the industry’s commitment to fostering open-source innovation. For enterprises seeking to modernize their data architectures, DocumentDB offers a compelling, cost-effective alternative to traditional proprietary solutions.
It is to note that Google had previously donated to the formation of the Linux Foundations’ Agent2Agent project with Amazon Web Services, Cisco, Microsoft, Salesforce, SAP, and ServiceNow.