Open-Source Databases · apache

cloudberry

Apache Cloudberry is an open-source MPP database derived from Greenplum, designed for data warehousing and large-scale analytics. Built on a newer PostgreSQL kernel, it serves as a distributed SQL database for OLAP workloads and AI/ML data processing.

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Source: GitHub — github.com/apache/cloudberry

1.2k

GitHub stars

220

Forks

Primary language

Apache-2.0

License (OSI-approved)

Key facts

Objective fields from the source. Values we can't verify are shown as “Unknown” rather than guessed.

Field	Value
Repository	apache/cloudberry
Owner	apache
Primary language	C
License	Apache-2.0 — OSI-approved
Stars	1.2k
Forks	220
Open issues	199
Latest release	2.1.0-incubating (2026-04-15)
Last updated	2026-07-06
Source	https://github.com/apache/cloudberry

What cloudberry is

Cloudberry is a C-based massively parallel processing (MPP) database that evolves from Pivotal Greenplum, offering distributed query execution across commodity hardware. It implements PostgreSQL compatibility with enterprise capabilities for analytical workloads, currently in Apache Incubator status.

Quickstart

Get the cloudberry source

Clone the repository and explore it locally.

terminalbash

1git clone https://github.com/apache/cloudberry.git2cd cloudberry3# follow the project's README for install & configuration

Need it deployed, integrated, or customized instead? DEV.co ships production installs.

Best use cases

Large-Scale Data Warehousing

Multi-node analytical queries on terabyte-scale datasets where distributed query execution and column-oriented optimizations provide performance advantages over single-node PostgreSQL.

AI/ML Data Preparation Pipelines

ETL and feature engineering at scale, leveraging parallel processing to prepare training datasets without exporting to external systems.

OLAP and Business Intelligence

Complex aggregations, time-series analysis, and ad-hoc analytical queries across multiple dimensions and fact tables in a distributed environment.

Implementation considerations

Requires multi-node cluster setup; single-node deployments negate MPP advantages. Linux (RHEL/Rocky, Ubuntu) or macOS builds are documented; Windows support not stated.
PostgreSQL wire protocol compatibility enables SQL tools and ORMs written for Postgres to work with Cloudberry, but behavioral differences in distributed execution may require query tuning.
Build from source is the primary deployment path; no pre-built binary packages or managed hosting are mentioned in the data. Docker Sandbox provided for evaluation but not production use.
Incubator status means architectural decisions, operator APIs, and SQL compatibility may evolve; pin versions carefully if integrating into long-lived data pipelines.
199 open issues suggest ongoing development; review issue tracker and roadmap before committing to production timelines.

When to avoid it — and what to weigh

OLTP or Real-Time Transactional Workloads — Cloudberry is optimized for batch analytics; it is not suitable for systems requiring sub-millisecond latency, frequent small writes, or strong ACID transactional guarantees on individual rows.
Production-Critical Systems Requiring Long-Term Stability Guarantees — Project is in Apache Incubator status, meaning it has not yet been formally endorsed by the ASF as production-ready. Risk tolerance for API/behavioral changes is higher than mature ASF projects.
Small Datasets or Simple Queries — Distributed query coordination overhead makes Cloudberry inefficient for workloads better served by single-node PostgreSQL or lightweight analytical tools; minimum cluster complexity adds operational burden.
Strict Commercial Support Requirements — No commercial SLA or official enterprise support offering is stated in the data. Support is community-driven through Slack, GitHub discussions, and volunteer contributors.

License & commercial use

Licensed under Apache License 2.0 (ASL 2.0), a permissive OSI-approved open-source license permitting commercial use, modification, and distribution under the same terms.

ASL 2.0 permits commercial use without royalties or licensing fees. However, no commercial support, SLAs, indemnification, or consulting partnerships are documented. Users assume full operational and support responsibility. Legal review recommended before production deployment in regulated industries.

DEV.co evaluation signals

Editorial assessment — not user reviews. Directional, with an explicit confidence level.

Signal	Assessment
Maintenance	Active
Documentation	Adequate
License clarity	Clear
Deployment complexity	High
DEV.co fit	Good
Assessment confidence	High

Security considerations

No explicit security audit, penetration test results, or vulnerability disclosure timeline is documented. Project has a security policy (github.com/apache/cloudberry/security/policy) for responsible disclosure. C-based system inherits memory safety considerations of its PostgreSQL foundation; code review via Coverity Scan and SonarQube suggests ongoing quality gates. Network and authentication hardening in a distributed environment requires proper configuration; security posture depends on deployment and operational controls (not stated).

Alternatives to consider

Apache Greenplum (open-source)

Direct predecessor; mature, wider adoption, clearer production readiness, but Cloudberry aims to offer newer PostgreSQL kernel and additional enterprise features.

ClickHouse

Lightweight distributed OLAP database with lower operational overhead and strong columnar performance, but lacks PostgreSQL compatibility and SQL dialect differences require retraining.

Snowflake / BigQuery / Redshift

Managed cloud data warehouses eliminate operational complexity, provide commercial SLAs, and integrate with cloud ecosystems; trade-off is vendor lock-in and cost-per-query pricing model.

Software development agency

Build on cloudberry with DEV.co software developers

Cloudberry is ideal for enterprises building distributed data warehouses and AI/ML pipelines. Start with the Docker Sandbox to assess fit, then engage with the community Slack for technical guidance on cluster design and operational readiness.

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cloudberry FAQ

Is Cloudberry production-ready?

It is in Apache Incubator status, meaning it has not yet been formally endorsed by the ASF as fully production-ready. Code quality monitoring is in place, but users should expect potential API changes and assume full operational responsibility.

Can I use Cloudberry as a drop-in replacement for PostgreSQL?

Cloudberry implements PostgreSQL wire protocol compatibility, so existing SQL queries and tools may work. However, distributed execution semantics, performance characteristics, and feature gaps mean testing and potential query tuning are required.

What commercial support options are available?

No commercial support, SLAs, or indemnification are documented. Support is community-driven via Slack, GitHub Discussions, and volunteer contributors.

How does Cloudberry compare to Greenplum?

Cloudberry evolves from Pivotal Greenplum with a newer PostgreSQL kernel and additional enterprise capabilities. Exact feature and performance comparisons are not provided in the data and require independent benchmarking.

Software developers & web developers for hire

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