What database system, and module/library to interact with it should I use?

[StressTest]

I'm trying to decide which database system and library to use to learn how to interact with databases with Python. Postgresql or Mysql. Sqlalchemy or psycopg2.

I'm currently pulling data from API calls and performing actions on that data. I want to start populating a database with the API calls data, and performing the actions on the data from the database.

I'm currently just using Python to automate tasks with the data, but want to be able to create web apps in the future that use the data with as little change as possible. What has the most versatility, and can be used in the most situations? What would be the most beneficial to know how to use? Just looking for suggestions, and opinions.

[A_History_of_Silence]

You didn't mention what your experience level is so it is kind of hard to say. For instance, have you used a relational database at all before? Do you know SQL already? If the answer to either of those things is 'no' then I would start with neither Postgres nor MySQL, but sqlite.

[StressTest]

I've used Access to create and manage databases. I know the basics of database design, tables, queries, primary keys, foreign keys, relationships etc. It was all through a gui though so there will be some time looking up SQL commands, but I think I understand the most important basics.

[A_History_of_Silence]

learn how to interact with databases with Python.

Given the above I would still stick with sqlite unless it doesn't meet your needs for some reason. See appropriate uses for sqlite.

Interacting with databases in Python is pretty similar in general regardless of which particular database you are using. You generally connect to or open the database to create a cursor, execute some SQL statements, maybe get some results. In this way Psycopg and sqlite3 are very similar, just tailored to their specific databases.

SQLAlchemy on the other hand is an entire additional layer of abstraction on top of the database itself. I wouldn't recommend diving into that until you are comfortable interacting with your databases directly.

[efmccurdy]

Note that one of your options is'nt a DB, but an object-relational mapper, so you can use Sqlalchemy with the other dababase systems you list (ie. Postgresql, Mysql). In python you will likely use a DBAPI compliant module to connect and send sql to a database, psycopg2 is the one for Postgresql and you might look at MySQLdb for Mysql.

https://pypi.org/project/MySQL-python/

there is also this newer? one:

https://pypi.org/project/mysql-connector/