Change Data Capture vs Database Triggers

Developers should learn and use CDC when building systems that require low-latency data propagation, such as real-time analytics, data lakes, or event-driven applications, as it minimizes performance overhead compared to batch processing meets developers should learn and use database triggers when they need to enforce complex data constraints, automate logging or auditing of data changes, or implement cascading actions that must occur consistently across all applications accessing the database. Here's our take.

Change Data Capture

Nice Pick

Developers should learn and use CDC when building systems that require low-latency data propagation, such as real-time analytics, data lakes, or event-driven applications, as it minimizes performance overhead compared to batch processing

Pros

• It is essential for scenarios like database migration, maintaining data consistency across distributed systems, and enabling reactive architectures where changes trigger downstream actions
• Related to: database-replication, event-sourcing

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

Database Triggers

Developers should learn and use database triggers when they need to enforce complex data constraints, automate logging or auditing of data changes, or implement cascading actions that must occur consistently across all applications accessing the database

Pros

• For example, triggers are useful for automatically updating a 'last_modified' timestamp on record updates, validating data before it's committed, or synchronizing related tables in real-time without relying on application code
• Related to: stored-procedures, database-constraints

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

The Verdict

These tools serve different purposes. Change Data Capture is a concept while Database Triggers is a database. We picked Change Data Capture based on overall popularity, but your choice depends on what you're building.

The Bottom Line

Change Data Capture wins

Based on overall popularity. Change Data Capture is more widely used, but Database Triggers excels in its own space.