SQL vs NoSQL — What is better for you? Whether you have worked with databases, are about to work with one, or haven’t worked at all, this topic is something you should know irrespectively. You need to always think about how your data looks like first, how you are about to query it and what are your scalability requirements. Whether it's you choosing the perfect database for your personal project or it’s an organization, It is an important decision whether to pick a relational (SQL) or non-relational (NoSQL) data structure. This article is not about which type is better but about which type suits you for your current project requirements. Each one has clear advantages and disadvantages which must be kept in mind. If you just want to see the key-points mentioned in this article skip directly to the end. Now with that said, let’s get started What is SQL? SQL or Structured Query Language is pronounced as “ or sometimes as “ is a standard language to access and manipulate Relational Databases. S-Q-L” see-quel” It gives the users the power to create queries to INSERT, DELETE, UPDATE, SEARCH, ALTER, and to do a lot more with the Database. It is a very powerful language and is preferred by lots of developers as it can handle very complex queries as well. Common and Popular Examples of Relational Databases which use SQL are — MySQL Oracle SQLite Postgres MS-SQL A very Basic syntax pattern of SQL statement is — General--SELECT * FROM <TABLENAME> WHERE <ATTRIBUTE> = <VALUE> Practical--SELECT * FROM EMPLOYEE WHERE Salary > 90000 What is NoSQL? As the name suggests NoSQL is “ ” SQL, in other words, it is a non-relational database and is unstructured. Due to its unstructured nature, it is sometimes called as not UnQL It follows a database design which can take all sorts of data models. It mainly consists of key-value pairs, graphs, documents, etc. It is especially used to store large sets of distributed data. Common and Popular Examples of NoSQL Databases are — Mongo DB BigTable Cassandra Hbase Redis Information may be stored in many ways in this type of unstructured databases, but a widely followed approach is to store the information in format. JSON {role: "employee",salary: "90000"} Comparing SQL vs NoSQL Now that we have a basic understanding of what SQL and NoSQL database means, it would be much easier to compare the two types and figure out which one better suits your needs. Let’s go ahead and compare them now. Database Structure A SQL Database follows a which can have an and every data present inside the database is , it is basically used to manipulate . table like structure unlimited number of rows properly structured with Predefined Schemas Relational Databases Management Systems A NoSQL Database is a where the data is very . Unlike SQL it cannot have unlimited rows but it follows a and can store all sorts of data models with large distributed data in the form of . Distributed Database unstructured with Dynamic Schema Standard Schema Definition key-value pairs, graph databases, documents or wide-column stores Syntax SQL is a very powerful language and is very handy when it comes to access as well as manipulate not just simple but very as well. It uses to define and manipulate data. An example of this syntax is — complex queries SQL syntax SELECT * FROM STUDENT WHERE NAME = "Sayan" AND MARKS > 80; Whereas in NoSQL the queries are mainly focused on the and it is not a good option to manipulate complex queries. As there are different types of NoSQL databases available therefore it , the syntax differs from database to database. The most commonly used format to store data is collection of large documents doesn’t follow a single syntax base JSON. {name:"Sayan",marks:"85"} Hierarchy SQL Databases are stored in the form of tables consisting of n number of rows thus it a hierarchical approach rather all the data is present individually in each row under a specific attribute with its own significance. cannot follow Whereas NoSQL is a for hierarchical data storage as it stores the data in the form of in JSON format and thus serves as a better fit for large distributed data. very good fit key-value pairs Scalability A SQL Database is always . The meaning of this sentence is that if there is more load on the server then it . This will work only on a server. Thus by this, you may already be aware that this requires on a single server. vertically scalable can be handled by increasing the CPU, SSD, RAM, etc single more strain A NoSQL Database, on the other hand, is . This means that if there is excess load on the server then it will simply to handle the large traffic. It is simple and and prevents the server from being non-responsive. horizontally scalable add a few more servers very efficient Stability A SQL Database is and is always preferred when doing heavy duty transactions. The reason being it keeps the data very through . It follows Property which stands for more stable secure data integrity and atomicity ACID Atomicity, Consistency, Isolation, and Durability. Click to know more about ACID A NoSQL Database is than a SQL Database when there is on the server or even when performing . It follows which stands for less stable high load complex transactions Brewers CAP Theorem Consistency, Availability, and Partition Tolerance. Click to know more about Brewers CAP Theorem What is the right choice for your business? This decision completely depends on the business type and the ideation of the business. If you want to work with pre-defined structures and set schemas then SQL Databases is the correct choice for you. If you are building anything similar to an inventory monitoring system or accounting system then SQL Database is a better fit. But if you want to build an application with dynamic schema or if your business has a very rapid growth and no schema definition then NoSQL Databases is what you need. If you cannot determine the type of schema your application wants or you want to keep it changing from time to time like in case of mobile apps, analytics or content management then NoSQL is a better fit. Key-points in Short Thank you for reading this. I really appreciate all the effort. If you’re having any doubts comment below and I’ll try to answer them. Peace Out. ✌️
