Understanding request units and how they affect billing

In Chapter 3, Writing and Running Queries on NoSQL Document Databases, we learned how to execute SQL queries against a document collection with the SQL API by using different tools. We also learned how to check the request units consumed by each query. In Chapter 4, Building an Application with C#, Cosmos DB, a NoSQL Document Database, and the SQL API, we performed operations and composed queries in strings and we executed them against a document collection with the Cosmos DB .NET Core SDK. In Chapter 5, Working with POCOs, LINQ, and a NoSQL Document Database, we performed operations with POCOs and we composed queries with LINQ and POCOs. However, in these last two chapters, we didn't check request unit consumption.

Note

Every operation and query performed on Cosmos DB consumes request units. We can consider request units as the main currency for Cosmos DB services.

Now we will learn what request units are, how they affect billing, and...