An overview of relational and NoSQL databases
The role of a database is to store data in a structured way, preserve the integrity of the data, and offer a query language that enables you to retrieve this data when an application needs it.
Nowadays, when it comes to choosing a database for your web project, you have two main choices: relational databases, with their associated SQL query language, and NoSQL databases, named in opposition to the first category.
Selecting the right technology for your project is left up to you, as it greatly depends on your needs and requirements. In this section, we'll outline the main characteristics and features of those two database families and try to give you some insights into choosing the right one for your project.
Relational databases
Relational databases have existed since the 1970s, and they have proved to be very performant and reliable over time. They are almost inseparable from the SQL query language, which has become the...