Abstract
In the field of geoinformation and transportation science, the shortest path is calculated on graph data mostly found in road and transportation networks. This data is often stored in various database systems. Many applications dealing with transportation network require calculation of the shortest path. The objective of this research is to compare the performance of Dijkstra shortest path calculation in PostgreSQL (with pgRouting) and Neo4j graph database for the purpose of determining if there is any difference regarding the speed of the calculation. Benchmarking was done on commodity hardware using OpenStreetMap road network. The first assumption is that Neo4j graph database would be well suited for the shortest path calculation on transportation networks but this does not come without some cost. Memory proved to be an issue in Neo4j setup when dealing with larger transportation networks.
Highlights
The simplest question in routing that needs an answer is: ”What is the most effective way to get from here to there?”
The objective of this research is to compare the performance of Dijkstra shortest path calculation in PostgreSQL and Neo4j graph database for the purpose of determining if there is any difference regarding the speed of the calculation
This paper provides a benchmark designed to measure the performance of a Dijkstra shortest path algorithm in a graph database (Neo4j) and relational database (PostgreSQL/pgRouting)
Summary
The simplest question in routing that needs an answer is: ”What is the most effective way to get from here to there?”. To answer this question a simple and complex shortest path algorithms are used. Relational databases are often used for storing transportation network data. Christopher et al [6] designed a collaborative route planning system for utility vehicles which relies heavily on route calculation based on underlying transportation network stored in relational databases. Innerebner et al [7] created a web-based system named ISOGA that uses isochrones to perform geographical reachability analysis over a transportation network stored in a relational database. Zlatanova et al [5] focused on examining the problem of finding the optimal path for moving objects to avoid moving obstacles using a relational database
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
