Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft, and Google are joining forces to support the Linux Foundation’s DocumentDB project, a move that could reshape the enterprise database market. The initiative offers an open-source alternative to proprietary NoSQL databases, giving businesses more control over their data and reducing reliance on a single vendor.
A Strategic Shift in the Database Market
DocumentDB began as a Microsoft-led project in early 2025 but has since transitioned to the Linux Foundation, where it quickly attracted heavyweight support. By rallying around this open-source standard, AWS and Google are signaling a rare alignment with Microsoft—one aimed squarely at loosening the grip of dominant proprietary systems, including MongoDB.
This type of collaboration is unusual among cloud competitors, but the stakes are high: enterprises are increasingly wary of being locked into costly vendor ecosystems.
Built on PostgreSQL, With MongoDB Compatibility
The engine behind DocumentDB is PostgreSQL, a well-established relational database known for its reliability, ACID compliance, and rich tooling ecosystem. What makes this initiative notable is how it extends PostgreSQL to function as a document database, adding native support for BSON (Binary JSON) and queries that mimic MongoDB’s API.
Bruce Momjian, a founding member of the PostgreSQL core team, said the project’s momentum is long overdue:
“The idea of using Postgres this way has been around for a long time, so it’s great to see real traction. DocumentDB should appeal to anyone wanting an open-source MongoDB-compatible option or simply a more streamlined interface to PostgreSQL.”
Why Enterprises Are Paying Attention
For companies, the shift toward DocumentDB represents more than cost savings. It’s about flexibility. By standardizing on an open-source solution that works across cloud providers, enterprises can avoid the “data gravity” effect that often ties them to a single vendor.
DocumentDB’s PostgreSQL foundation means organizations don’t have to sacrifice maturity or stability while adopting a document-oriented approach—an increasingly important factor as AI and analytics workloads require more efficient handling of semi-structured data.
A Broader Open-Source Trend
This isn’t Google, Microsoft, or AWS’s first foray into collaborative open-source projects. Google previously contributed to the Linux Foundation’s Agent2Agent initiative, alongside AWS, Cisco, Salesforce, SAP, and ServiceNow. The DocumentDB partnership further signals a shift: competition among cloud providers doesn’t preclude them from uniting around shared infrastructure challenges.
The Takeaway
DocumentDB could emerge as a key player in the database market, offering enterprises a viable, open-source alternative to vendor-controlled ecosystems. If widely adopted, this collaboration may pressure proprietary providers to adapt, potentially driving more innovation across the database industry.
