Understanding the Best NoSQL Databases

What is a NoSQL Database?

NoSQL database aka “non-SQL” or “not only SQL” refer to storing data in a non-relational format. Further, businesses use NoSQL data while dealing with large sets of unstructured data as it offers more flexibility. Moreover, Not only SQL systems may support SQL-like queries. NoSQL databases are also used for online applications and analyzing massive data sets. 

NoSQL databases also help developers store and manage unstructured data and execute complex analytical tasks. Further, various NoSQL databases are available for developers according to their requirements. 

For example, companies like Amazon DynamoDB and Google adopted NoSQL databases as SQL did not meet their requirements. Although they attempted to use the traditional approach they upgraded to a faster system. Moreover, the requirement is to scale current relational solutions by denormalizing the data. Therefore, NoSQL databases denormalize the data structure and execute various models.

Key Features of NoSQL Databases

• Firstly, NoSQL offers a faster response time as it stores the data in the memory. 
• Further, it helps businesses procure scalability through data considering the rise in the number of users and data sets.
• It also provides little to no downtime that occurs due to redundant data. Moreover, it aligns clusters across various locations to avoid downtime. Hence, offering constant availability and accessibility of the data.
• Moreover, offer more flexibility while managing and storing data while enhancing performance. It also processes structure, non-structured, or semi-structured data.
• As a result, it enables users to access the data from remote locations at a faster speed. 

Types of NoSQL Databases

• Key-Value Stores:

Key-values stores refer to the simplest type of NoSQL databases. Moreover, it stores the data in key/value pairs structures. Further, every key has a value to justify and explain the same. However, the “Key” is unique and assumes only strings. On the other hand, the “value” represents the correspondence to the key using String, JSON, XML, etc. Hence, this capability helps it to deal with large sets of data. 

• Document Stores:

Document Stores also act as an expansion of Key-Value Stores, as it stores and manages data on structured documents like XML and JSON. Moreover, it is an objective software as it easily stores data and maps it according to Objects. It is also a schema-free database and stores complex data in various formats. Although, it does not accept relations. Hence, all the documents are independent and offer no relational model. 

• Column Family Data stores or Wide column data stores:

Wide column data stores are a hybrid method that uses relational database features with key-value store capabilities. It also stores tabular data as categories of columns for the data instead of rows. Moreover, this type originates from Google’s Bigtable. Further, Google states, “A Bigtable is a sparse, distributed, persistent multidimensional sorted map.” Developers can also refer to it as multi-dimensional key-value stores. 

• Graph Database:

Graph Database specifically refers to the process of storing graph data structures. It is also any storage database software that enables index-free concurrence. That is to say, each node includes a direct pointer to the concurrent component without index searches. Moreover, it enhances its ability to cross through various data. It also incorporates a flexible data model which requires no definition for edges and vertices.

• Multi-Model Databases:

Multi-Model Databases help store, index, and query data using multiple data models. Moreover, it integrates various databases using a single backend. It also leverages features of a polyglot persistence avoiding the integration of multiple models. Hence, it enables data storage in different methods resulting in programming agility and reduction in data latency.

Why use NoSQL Database 

• Firstly, it simplifies the application development that enables interactive and real-time web usage. It also uses REST API and other web services.
• Moreover, it offers flexibility to normalize the data using an agile data model. It also uses various features and capabilities of the data entities.
• It also provides scalability for massive data sets that are constant in analytics and AI technologies.
• Further, it suits cloud, mobile, social media, and big data objectives. 
• It is also easier to use NoSQL databases instead of relational or SQL databases for certain applications.
• Moreover, it executes high responsive experiences to worldwide users while maintaining no downtime. 

Here are the Top NoSQL Databases

• MongoDB

MongoDB is an open-source document-based cross-platform database system. Moreover, it is a NoSQL database that uses JSON-adjacent features to store data. It also provides developers with indexing, ad-hoc queries, and real-time integration to assess and utilize data. 

• Apache Cassandra

Apache Cassandra is an open-source distributed NoSQL database with great scalability and accessibility while maintaining performance. It also manages unstructured data by testing it on 1000 node clusters and 100 real-time schemas. Moreover, tech giants like Amazon, Netflix, Apple, etc. run applications and support the data. It automatically replicates data through various nodes and attracts more developers with these features.

• Neo4j

Neo4j is also an open-source and graph-oriented NoSQL database that offers an ACID-compliant transference application backend. It also provides runtime failover and cluster support which makes it easier to work with. Moreover, it merges the data in the storage systems for easy access. 

• DynamoDB

DynamoDB enables the complete management of data using AWS solutions to support the data structure. It also provides smooth scalability to enhance the performance using key-value cloud services. Further, it mitigates the complex process of securing data by encrypting it. Moreover, it enables on-demand backup features and uses recovery for DynamoDB tables. Hence, developers can easily auto-scale, back-up, restore, etc. for the data.

• Couchbase

Couchbase is a cloud database that provides features for business-oriented applications. Moreover, it is an open-source database that incorporates NoSQL along with SQL capabilities. Further, it uses a multi-model structure for databases for operation-critical applications.