Top 3 MySQL drivers for NodeJS application

We analyzed dozens of MySQL driver packages in NPM (world's largest software registry) and came up with a list of the top three MySQL drivers for you to use in your next NodeJS application.

To measure popularity, we will look into a few parameters: Amount of downloads in the last month, amount of contributors and amount of application depending on this package (as this means that the package is used by them).

#1 -  mysql

A node.js driver for mysql, written in JavaScript, does not require compiling, and is 100% free - MIT licensed.

Downloads last month: 753,053

Packages depending on this driver: 2,280

Amount of contributors: 4

Code usage example:

var mysql = require('mysql');
var connection = mysql.createConnection({
 host : 'mydbserver',
 user : 'user',
 password : 'password',
 database : 'schemaname'
});
 
connection.connect();
 
connection.query('SELECT MAX(order_num) AS result, function (error, results, fields) {
 if (error) throw error;
 console.log('The result is: ', results[0].result);
});
 
connection.end();

#2 -  mysql2

MySQL client which gives focus on performance.

Several important features: Prepared statements, non-utf8 encodings, support for the binary log protocol, compressions, secure connection (ssl) and more.

Downloads last month: 54,594

Packages depending on this driver: 138

Amount of contributors: 3

Code usage example:

var mysql = require('mysql2');

var connection = mysql.createConnection({host:'mydbserver', user: 'user', database: 'schemaname'});

connection.query('SELECT * FROM `employees` WHERE `name` = "Bob" AND `age` > 35', function (err, results, fields) {
console.log(results);
});

// with placeholder
connection.query('SELECT * FROM `employees` WHERE `name` = "Bob" AND `age` > ?', [45], function (err, results) {
console.log(results);
}); 

#3 -  sequelize

This one is actually not a driver, but a promise based ORM for MySQL and other databases (Postgres, MariaDB, SQLite and Microsoft SQL Server).

Downloads last month: 371,577

Packages depending on this driver: 1003

Amount of contributors: 4

Code usage example:

const Sequelize = require('sequelize');
const sequelize = new Sequelize('schemaname', 'username', 'password');

const Employee = sequelize.define('name', {
username: Sequelize.STRING,
birthday: Sequelize.DATE
});

sequelize.sync()
.then(() => Employee.create({
username: 'johndoh',
birthday: new Date(1988, 12, 16)
}));