Add content/mlrd-dynamodb-compatible-api-on-mysql.md

Author: daniel-nichter

content/mlrd-dynamodb-compatible-api-on-mysql.md

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+---
+date: "2025-12-12T16:39:00-05:00"
+title: "mlrd: DynamoDB-Compatible API on MySQL"
+tags: ["mysql", "mlrd"]
+comments: true
+---
+
+Introducing [`mlrd`](https://mlrd.tech/) ("mallard") to the world: a DynamoDB-compatible API on MySQL.
+Crazy, but it works really well and I'm confident it will help a lot of business save a lot of money.
+Here's why.
+
+<!--more-->
+
+## Preamble
+
+Let me be clear about two things from the start:
+
+1. `mlrd` is _not_ free open source; it's a commercial database tool.
+Why, after 20 years of publishing free open source tools?
+Two reasons.
+First, because I have bills to pay, too.
+Second, because you can _somewhat_ reverse engineer `mlrd`.
+Emphasis on "somewhat" because a complete solution like `mlrd` is _a lot_ more difficult than it seems.
+
+2. Amazon DynamoDB is a great database product.
+It really is an engineering marvel.
+If you're using it and happy with it (all aspects, from its costs to its single-vendor nature), then great!
+Stop reading and keep using it.
+
+## Problems and Progress
+
+`mlrd` solves three problems:
+
+1. DynamoDB costs can easily skyrocket out of control
+2. Vendor lock-in
+3. Data hostages
+
+The first two are plain and obvious to anyone using DynamoDB beyond trivial tables.
+
+The third was what kept me motivated and going while I programmed `mlrd` all by my lonesome: once you put _your data_ into DynamoDB, there is absolutely no way to get it back without paying AWS a little something.
+DynamoDB holds your data hostage.
+
+As someone practically born into the world of open source and the good/positive/legal computer hacker ethos, I couldn't ignore this.
+And being a hacker, I tried to find a loophole, a trick, a hack&mdash;_some way_ to access data in DynamoDB without paying a single RCU.
+
+I couldn't find one.[^1]
+
+[^1]: My most clever idea: using errors to exfiltrate my data. Didn't work.
+
+So I have to hand it to AWS: their DynamoDB billing is airtight.
+And in their (AWS) defense, DynamoDB table dumps are relatively cheap: $0.10 per GB plus PITR costs.
+
+But a hostage is hostage no matter how small the ransom demand.
+
+`mlrd` doesn't just free the data hostages, it shatters the vendor lock-in, too.
+
+For example, once you put `mlrd` between your app and DynamoDB, since `mlrd` speaks the DynamoDB protocol and knows all the DynamoDB nuances, you can _freely_ write items to MySQL as they're read or written in DynamoDB.
+("Freely" means paying no extra RCUs or WCUs. If your MySQL is also on AWS, that could incur read/write costs.)
+
+## Security Scanning
+
+A really good practical example and use case that `mlrd` enables without breaking the bank is security scanning.
+
+Some companies proactively scan data to make sure devs didn't accidentally store sensitive data, PII, and so on.
+But how do you do this in DynamoDB without paying more RCUs or CDC costs?
+In DynamoDB you cannot.
+
+But with `mlrd` you can because, as noted above, `mlrd` gives you free access to your data.
+Some companies will use `mlrd` for no other reason than to freely inspect their data.
+
+`mlrd` can do a lot more than this, but as long as it's helping companies _make progress_, then all those hours spent talking to myself while coding it will be worth it.
+
+## Costs
+
+I don't know yet how `mlrd` will be priced, but as a private pico-sized corporation, I expect it will be miniscule compared to the [millions of dollars some companies pay for DynamoDB](https://www.uber.com/en-CA/blog/dynamodb-to-docstore-migration/).
+
+The real question is: what does MySQL cost you?
+
+If you're running bare metal, you're in luck!
+Bare metal enterprise hardware plateaued a few years ago.
+For example, years ago 32 cores and 256 GB RAM were common.
+Today, I have a few 1U servers like that (and more powerful) in my basement, and they were cheap.
+
+What would cost me $100,000/year on DynamoDB costs me _zero_&mdash;yeah, $0&mdash;to run in my basement.[^3]
+
+[^3]: Unless you want to amortize a $2,000 server over 4 years, then it costs $500/year.
+
+"Oh come on, Daniel! You know that DynamoDB is highly resilient and highly available! Your basement servers are just loud toys."[^2]
+
+[^2]: I like the sound of a few 1U rack servers.
+
+[Yeah, maybe.](https://dev.to/aws-builders/dynamodb-outage-why-multi-cloud-fails-startups-and-real-dr-wins-15cb)
+
+You can't run your business from my basement, but you can literally bank on [PlanetScale](https://planetscale.com/). 
+When you contact me to discuss `mlrd` in more detail, I'll show you PlanetScale + `mlrd` can be 40&ndash;60% cheaper than DynamoDB.
+
+## Private Beta
+
+Check out the 2 minute video at https://mlrd.tech.
+
+No AI slop; just me, my laptop, and my servers.
+
+If you/your company has these problems, get in touch and let's see if `mlrd` can help fix them.