Which GCP Database Is Best for a Scalable Solo Developer Project?

[nishant_01]

Hey GCP community! 👋 I'm a solo developer working on a dynamic web app and exploring which Google Cloud database to use. Between Firestore, Cloud SQL, and Bigtable — which one would you recommend in terms of performance, ease of use, and cost-efficiency for a project that may scale over time? Also, any gotchas I should be aware of while setting things up?"

Would love to hear your thoughts or any tips from your past experience. Thanks a lot! 🚀

[mcbsalceda]

Hi @nishant_01,

Welcome to Google Cloud Community!

If you need flexibility with schema design and real-time data sync, Firestore is likely the best choice. If your app requires complex relational data with structured queries, Cloud SQL is the better fit. Bigtable is ideal only if you’re dealing with massive data and need extreme scaling from the start.

Just keep in mind of the following: 

• Firestore can become costly with heavy read/write traffic at scale.
• Cloud SQL requires careful scaling and proper instance management to avoid high costs.
• Bigtable has a steeper learning curve and is overkill unless your app needs extreme data throughput.

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