---
title: "OLAP vs. OLTP Database Partitioning — Definition & Engineering Context"
description: "OLAP (Online Analytical Processing) and OLTP (Online Transactional Processing) are database architectures optimized for analytical query aggregation and transactional record speed respectively."
canonical: https://erpstack.io/glossary/olap-vs-oltp
markdown_url: https://erpstack.io/glossary/olap-vs-oltp.md
publisher: ERPStack
---

# OLAP vs. OLTP Database Partitioning

> **Definition:** OLAP (Online Analytical Processing) and OLTP (Online Transactional Processing) are database architectures optimized for analytical query aggregation and transactional record speed respectively.

## In depth

OLTP databases (like PostgreSQL) are designed to execute millions of simple, fast queries (e.g., inserting a row, updating a user session). OLAP databases (like ClickHouse) are optimized for scanning billions of rows to calculate averages or sum metrics. Mixing OLAP and OLTP on the same database causes query locks and resource exhaustion, necessitating a separate reporting warehouse.

## How ERPStack applies this

We isolate transactional workflows in a PostgreSQL OLTP database and sync analytical events to ClickHouse, keeping customer checkouts fast and dashboard analytics real-time.

## Related reading

- [PostgreSQL Database](https://erpstack.io/glossary/postgres)
- [ClickHouse Database](https://erpstack.io/glossary/clickhouse)