Does it make sense to create a new database for every user? (MySQL)

Question

I want to make a website which will have approximately 10M+ users. My MySQL database will be huge! Because the users will chat, post, share etc.

I will use dreamhost. They can provide me unlimted databases but they told me to keep the database size below 2-3GB. I'm afraid if I use a single database it will exceed 2-3GB in a week or two.

So the question is - should I create a new database per user?

Answer 1

Humour form for begin:

if You are plan have 10M active users, which will chat, send messages and pay for You at least couple of dollars per month - You must open Your own hosting provider, rather than try to use anybody.

If talking seriously:

• Size of database limited only by plan (mean cost) - so 2-3Gb it just for smallest plans
• 10M users - most important, how many of them active and what approximate but realistic data they will generate
• what historic period they really need? as example - store 1 week history in active database and all other in archive instance
• and 10M separate databases - will be exactly killer of Your server and application (and by resource usage, and by code complicity and by logic)

Answer 2

10M databases will have serious problems in your code, MySQL, and the OS. Do not go that direction.

Why does your provider want you to stay below 2-3GB? Sounds like you need to find a different provider.

Answer 3

You do not need to create a separate database for each user, you just have to create a separate record for each user in the users table.

You are not going to get 10M users in 1 day, so keep calm and develop whatever you are developing. Once you hit 100K, shift your app/web to your own VPS; there, you have no restrictions.

Once you hit 10M, AWS will be happy to help you to move all your data to them free of cost. You just need to show an AWS advertisement to your 10M users.