Dynamic

Triggers vs Change Data Capture

Developers should learn and use triggers when they need to ensure data consistency, automate logging or auditing of database changes, or implement complex business logic directly in the database meets 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. Here's our take.

🧊Nice Pick

Triggers

Developers should learn and use triggers when they need to ensure data consistency, automate logging or auditing of database changes, or implement complex business logic directly in the database

Triggers

Nice Pick

Developers should learn and use triggers when they need to ensure data consistency, automate logging or auditing of database changes, or implement complex business logic directly in the database

Pros

  • +Common use cases include automatically updating timestamps, validating data before it's committed, cascading changes across related tables, or sending notifications based on data modifications
  • +Related to: sql, stored-procedures

Cons

  • -Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

Change Data Capture

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

The Verdict

Use Triggers if: You want common use cases include automatically updating timestamps, validating data before it's committed, cascading changes across related tables, or sending notifications based on data modifications and can live with specific tradeoffs depend on your use case.

Use Change Data Capture if: You prioritize it is essential for scenarios like database migration, maintaining data consistency across distributed systems, and enabling reactive architectures where changes trigger downstream actions over what Triggers offers.

🧊
The Bottom Line
Triggers wins

Developers should learn and use triggers when they need to ensure data consistency, automate logging or auditing of database changes, or implement complex business logic directly in the database

Disagree with our pick? nice@nicepick.dev