Is the use of nosql database such a good idea?

Question

relational database and sql provide a common way to organise and access data. Even as programming languages evolve it is possible to work with old databases as the logic is not embedded in company specific programmed applications.
Is nosql a step backwards in that respect?

Answer 1

No, they are a different tool, not a step backwards.

Relational databases are good for storing relatively similar and non-empty data records. Shaped to present everything in a table-like manner and they are pretty strict about it. When you have an additional data for a given record and you need another column, you add it to *the whole* table. If you have many such occurences, you'll end up with tables with many empty or almost empty columns.

NoSQL database on the other hand, can efficiently store irregular data, you can add new values to records anywhere, anytime, without spoiling the structure of the remaining data.

Check out the link below to learn more precisely:
https://www.sitepoint.com/sql-vs-nosql-differences/

Answer 2

@ifl Thank you. I was just wondering if you already knew about marking answers as best (while I havent noticed that this thread is "fresh" ☺) It's really not very _valuable_ contribution. :-))) BTW, I was wondering later myself why NoSQL is there when SQL/RDBMS are there already, and we have text files, csv files for small amounts of data... and answers here cleared it a little for me, now I see NoSQL as grown up JSONs, CSVs or something like that. I'll try it someday (I hope). I first heard about it when heard about MongoDB as I remember now (M in MEAN stack: MongoDB, Express.js, Angular, Node.js, not shure if express.js is still ok this days, technologies sometimes are running much faster than I do 😀) "Alice, here you should run even only to stay still" ☺ Oh, and I alreade had NoSQL as a variant of tech to use in my test task... it was easier to me to develop using another one variant, I used MySQL DB... but anyway I failed 'cause I was not good at developing RESTful services... never had any real experience with it before. :-) (My stupid smile 😂) Must Run Fasterrr!

Answer 3

@Kuba: Good post. thanks!

What i am referring to is actually mentioned in the article:
"""
SQL is a lightweight declarative language. It’s deceptively powerful, and has become an international standard, although most systems implement subtly different syntaxes.

NoSQL databases use JavaScripty-looking queries with JSON-like arguments! Basic operations are simple, but nested JSON can become increasingly convoluted for more complex queries.
"""

Hopefully the hype on nosql will not transform into wrong technology choice....☺
I have been involved in the maintenance of old pre-SQL db code that had grown beyond initial intentions,
that was not very pleasant and the move to relational/sql was a welcome improvement on that...

Answer 4

Having said that, yes nosql db are great for what they were designed to do :-)

Answer 5

@Andrew Kharhenko: maybe..🙄. I wanted to wait until more people contribute before marking one as best. (+ there is no much point being the best of one is there? 😆)

Answer 6

@Andrew Kharchenko. you can keep your posts. this is a valuable contribution. (its up to you, i dont mind either way)