Choose the Right Database for Your Project
Selecting the right database is essential for the success of any project. A good data model underpins the overall architecture, provides tremendous insights into the application itself, and builds a solid foundation for a project. There are a number of SQL (RDBMS) and NoSQL based databases available in the market. Which one should you go for?
SQL databases are based on set theory (unions and defined relationships). Here, data is stored in tables (rows and columns). These are ACID (atomicity, consistency, isolation, durability) compliant, have structured data and use SQL as the query language. They support frequent and short transactions that need to be accurate. On the other hand, NoSQL databases are used when there are large volumes of unstructured data. These typically use cloud storage and support rapid application development. They can work with a wide variety of data models, and data is stored in a distributed fashion. They follow the shared- nothing architecture, and support BASE characteristics (basically available, soft state, eventual consistency). Unstructured data typically includes session data, click-stream data, etc.
There are different types of NoSQL databases:
- Key-value store (Redis, Memcached)
- Column store (Cassandra, HBase)
- Document (Mongo DB, CouchDB)
- Graph (Neo4j)
Evaluation questionnaire
Before deciding the right database (DB) for your application, you must query what is expected from it. You can use the sample set of questions given below, and try and be ready with the answers:
- What is the type of data I am going to store (simple or complex data structures, etc)?
- How much volume of data is the DB going to support (GB/TB/PB, etc)?
- How many concurrent users will be connecting to the database?
- What are the availability requirements for my database (e.g., 99.999%)?
- Does my database need to be highly scalable?
- What is the average response time needed for the queries?
- What is the throughput for the transactions on the database?
- Will I require a real-time consistent database or is some lag permissible?
- Does my data model undergo frequent changes?
- What are the levels of read and write operations required on the database?
- What is my application architecture that allows easy integration with the database? What are my commercial constraints (budget, licences, contracts, etc)?
- What are the typical characteristics of the data to be stored (invalid data, missing data, etc)?
- What are the levels of regulation and compliance that the database needs to adhere to?
| Requirement | SQL | NoSQL | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
|
High scalability |
- |
Yes |
Any NoSQL |
|
Consistency and availability |
Yes |
- |
Any DBMS |
|
Consistency and partition tolerance |
- |
Yes |
MongoDB |
|
Availability and partition tolerance |
- |
Yes |
Cassandra |
|
High schema changes |
- |
Yes |
Any NoSQL |
|
Transaction-oriented |
Yes |
- |
Any RDBMS |
|
Inconsistent/incomplete data |
- |
Yes |
NoSQL |
Conclusion
Success of your project always depends on how you select the technology stack. Choosing correct database before staring up your dream project, will help you in long run. Contact us in case of any query or book free consultation.
Sahil is a highly skilled and dedicated Salesforce Certified Platform Developer with a passion for creating efficient and innovative solutions within the Salesforce ecosystem. With an insatiable curiosity and a relentless drive for excellence, he has become a go-to expert in developing custom applications and functionalities on the Salesforce platform.
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