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Relational VS. Non-Relational Databases. When Should You Use Them?

date:  Jan 07 2022
Author

Jordan Jancevski

New adventures are around the corner. Wishing you and all of your loved one\’s health and happiness in the new year. May you have a year filled with health and prosperity in every aspect. 

For those of you new here, this is Jordan from SnapStack Solutions, and every Friday I am coming forward with an interesting article coming from the wondrous world of IT. 

This week, as the topic suggests, we will be talking about databases. 

It\’s not always straightforward to pick the best database for storing your data. In reality, while using a relational database may appear more intuitive at first, it may not be the best option in some circumstances.

In this article, I\’ll try to explain the distinctions between relational and non-relational databases, as well as their benefits and drawbacks.

Information maintained by businesses and organizations is not retained in a disorganized and unstructured manner. Organizational data, on the other hand, almost usually follows a set of rules that dictate how information is categorized, how new data received into the system interacts with old data, and how information is retrieved when it is needed in another system.

A database is a technology that handles the functions of storing information and serving it up when needed. Databases are an important part of any information ecosystem.

Relational Databases

A Relational Database is a collection of elements that have pre-defined relationships between them. All of the objects are arranged in tables, with columns representing the qualities of each item. A single data item is represented by each row in a table.

A primary key should be established for each table in order to uniquely identify each item in the table. One or more table columns might be included in a primary key. Different foreign keys might link many tables together.

Without changing the table architecture, a Relational Database might be queried in a variety of ways. The most well-known interface for communicating with a Relational Database is the Structured Query Language (SQL).

Here are some examples of relational databases: MySQL, Postgres, Microsoft SQL Server, SQLite.

To summarize, all information in a Relational Database is structured, i.e. it is organized in tables.

The Benefits of Relational Databases

– Ideal for structured data.

– Utilization of a pre-existing query language (SQL)

– Excellent for more complicated inquiries.

– Data navigation is simple.

– Due to linkages and restrictions across tables, there is a high level of data integration.

– The transactions are safe.

– Exceptional reliability

The Drawbacks of Relational Databases

– Schema definition upfront

– No adaptability to changing requirements: dynamic changes to one item have an impact on all other items in the table.

– It\’s possible that data processing will be sluggish. With pricey gear, high performance is feasible.

When should a relational database be used?

Data with a rather solid structure that lends itself to rows and columns are best stored in relational databases. Data points having a consistent meaning, that can be simply classified, and that have easily defined connections are ideal candidates for storing in a relational database.

The following are some examples of data models that are well suited for relational databases:

– Internal records and employee data

– History of purchases

– Analytical tools for websites and apps

– Individual user events 

– Financial records

Non Relational Databases

A non-relational database is a collection of unstructured, structured, or semi-structured elements that are often represented as key-value pairs. Every item in the collection may be a document, a table, or something else.

Distinct objects in the same or different collections are usually unrelated, however, a reference (such as an identifier) can be added to one to refer to another.

The following are some examples of non-relational database engines: Apache, Cassandra, Redis, Couchbase, Apache, HBase, MongoDB. To summarize, non-tabular databases store data in a non-table format.

The Advantages of Non-Relational Databases

– Adaptable Data model

– Rapid response to changing requirements: dynamic adjustments to one item have no impact on the other.

– Massive amounts of data are stored with little organization.

– Exceptional performance

The Drawbacks of Relational Databases

  • Schema definition upfront
  • No adaptability to changing requirements: dynamic changes to one item have an impact on all other items in the table.
  • It\’s possible that data processing will be sluggish.

With pricey gear, high performance is feasible.

When is a non-relational database appropriate?

Because they can store a broad variety of data types, including big texts, non-relational databases are seen to be more versatile than relational databases. They are particularly suited to use scenarios when you have a big amount of data linked to a specific issue that you expect to develop in size and complexity due to their flexibility. These may include the following:

– Customer profiles that are all the same

– Segments of the audience

– Databases for applications

– Text, photos, and other material in large collections

– Data on industry trends

Summary

I\’ve discussed the advantages and disadvantages of relational and non-relational databases in this post. If your ultimate objective is to identify patterns and significance in various types of data, a non-relational database might be advantageous in analytics use cases. Because new data does not have to correspond to the data types of existing data, NoSQL databases allow for more flexible expansion than relational databases. 

However, accessing non-relational databases has a steeper learning curve and sometimes necessitates a greater commitment of technical resources than querying relational databases. Having a big internal semi- or non-structured NoSQL database will almost certainly need the hiring of a data science team to maintain, query, and analyze it.

Speaking of hiring a team, or getting the fit resources, at SnapStack Solutions we have the right capacities available and ready to take upon a new challenge. Reach us out on social media, or write us at contact@snapstack.com and we would be more than happy to assist you.

Have a good one! Jordan

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