What is NoSQL?

NoSQL databases (AKA "not only SQL") store data di�erently than
relational tables. NoSQL databases come in a variety of types based
on their data model. The main types are document, key-value, wide-
column, and graph. They provide �exible schemas and scale easily
with large amounts of big data and high user loads.

In this article, you'll learn what a NoSQL database is, why (and when!)
you should use one, and how to get started.

Table of contents

• What is a NoSQL Database?

• Types of NoSQL Database
• Brief History of NoSQL Databases
• NoSQL Database Features
• Relational database vs NoSQL database example
• Di�erences between RDBMS and NoSQL databases
• NoSQL use cases
• When should NoSQL be Used?
• NoSQL Database Misconceptions
• NoSQL Query Tutorial
• Summary
• FAQs

What is a NoSQL database?

When people use the term “NoSQL database,” they typically use it to
refer to any non-relational database. Some say the term “NoSQL”
stands for “non-SQL” while others say it stands for “not only SQL.”
Either way, most agree that NoSQL databases store data in a more
natural and �exible way. NoSQL, as opposed to SQL, is a database
management approach, whereas SQL is just a query language, similar
to the query languages of NoSQL databases.

Types of databases — NoSQL

Over time, four major types of NoSQL databases have emerged:
document databases, key-value databases, wide-column stores, and
graph databases. Nowadays, multi-model databases are also
becoming quite popular.

Document-oriented databases
A document-oriented database stores data in documents similar to
JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) objects. Each document contains
pairs of �elds and values. The values can typically be a variety of
types, including things like strings, numbers, booleans, arrays, or even
other objects. A document database o�ers a �exible data model,
much suited for semi-structured and typically unstructured data sets.
They also support nested structures, making it easy to represent
complex relationships or hierarchical data.

Examples of document databases are MongoDB and Couchbase. A

typical document will look like the following:

1 {
 {

2 "_id": "12345",

3 "name": "foo bar",

4 "email": "[email protected]",

5 "address": {

6 "street": "123 foo street",

7 "city": "some city",

8 "state": "some state",

9 "zip": "123456"

10 },

11 "hobbies": ["music", "guitar", "reading"]

12 }

Key-value databases
A key-value store is a simpler type of database where each item
contains keys and values. Each key is unique and associated with a
single value. They are used for caching and session management and
provide high performance in reads and writes because they tend to
store things in memory. Examples are Amazon DynamoDB and Redis. A
simple view of data stored in a key-value database is given below:

1 Key: user:12345

2 Value: {"name": "foo bar", "email": "[email protected]",

"designation": "software developer"}

Wide-column stores
Wide-column stores store data in tables, rows, and dynamic columns.
The data is stored in tables. However, unlike traditional SQL databases,
wide-column stores are �exible, where di�erent rows can have
di�erent sets of columns. These databases can employ column
compression techniques to reduce the storage space and enhance
performance. The wide rows and columns enable e�cient retrieval of
sparse and wide data. Some examples of wide-column stores are
Apache Cassandra and HBase. A typical example of how data is
stored in a wide-column is as follows:

name id email dob city

Foo bar 12345 [email protected] Some city

Carn Yale 34521 [email protected] 12-05-1972

Graph databases
A graph database stores data in the form of nodes and edges. Nodes
A graph database stores data in the form of nodes and edges. Nodes
typically store information about people, places, and things (like
nouns), while edges store information about the relationships between
the nodes. They work well for highly connected data, where the
relationships or pa�erns may not be very obvious initially. Examples of
graph databases are Neo4J and Amazon Neptune. MongoDB also
provides graph traversal capabilities using the $graphLookup stage of
the aggregation pipeline. Below is an example of how data is stored:
Multi-model databases
Multi-model databases support more than one type of NoSQL data
model so that developers can choose based on their application
requirements. These databases have a uni�ed database engine that
can handle multiple data models within a database instance. Examples
are CosmosDB and ArangoDB.

Quick comparison of types of databases — NoSQL

Each of the NoSQL databases o�ers di�erent features. For example,
graph databases could be more suited for analyzing complex
relationships and pa�erns between entities, while document
databases provide a more �exible, natural way of storing and
retrieving large data volumes of similar types as documents. The
choice of database depends on the use case you want to develop.
To learn more, read
Understanding the Di�erent Types of NoSQL Databases.

Brief history of NoSQL databases

NoSQL databases emerged in the late 2000s as the cost of storage
dramatically decreased. Gone were the days of needing to create a
complex, di�cult-to-manage data model in order to avoid data
duplication. NoSQL databases optimized for developer productivity.
 Cost Per MB of Data Over Time (Log Scale)

As storage costs rapidly decreased, the amount of data that

applications needed to store and query increased. This data came in
all shapes and sizes — structured, semi-structured, and unstructured —
and de�ning the schema in advance became nearly impossible.
NoSQL databases allow developers to store huge amounts of
unstructured data, giving them a lot of �exibility.
In the early 2000s, a paper published by Google on BigTable, the wide-
column database, explored the wide range of possibilities for a
distributed storage system. 2009 saw a major rise in NoSQL databases,
with two key document-oriented databases, MongoDB and CouchDB,
coming into the picture.

By the 2010s, di�erent types of NoSQL databases emerged and the

acceptance of NoSQL became widespread, with businesses becoming
more data-driven.

Additionally, the Agile Manifesto was rising in popularity, and so�ware

engineers were rethinking the way they developed so�ware. They had
to rapidly adapt to changing requirements, iterate quickly, and make
changes throughout their so�ware stack — all the way down to the
database. NoSQL databases gave them this �exibility.

Cloud computing also rose in popularity, and developers began using

public clouds to host their applications and data. They wanted the
ability to distribute data across multiple servers and regions to make
their applications resilient, to scale out instead of scale up, and to
intelligently geo-place their data. Some NoSQL databases, like
MongoDB Atlas, provide these capabilities.

Due to the exponential growth of digitization, businesses now collect

as much unstructured data as possible. To be able to analyze and
derive actionable real-time insights from such big data, businesses
need modern solutions that go beyond simple storage. Businesses need
a platform that can easily scale, transform, and visualize data; create
dashboards, reports, and charts; and work with AI and
dashboards, reports, and charts; and work with AI and
business intelligence tools to accelerate their business productivity.
Due to their �exible and distributed nature, NoSQL databases (for
example, MongoDB) shine in these tasks.

NoSQL database features

NoSQL databases are �exible, scalable, and distributed databases.
Di�erent types of NoSQL databases have their own unique features.
At a high level, NoSQL databases typically have the following features:

• Distributed computing
• Scaling
• Flexible schemas and rich query language
• Ease of use for developers
• Partition tolerance
• High availability

BASE compliance
NoSQL databases are BASE compliant, i.e., basic availability so� state
eventual consistency. Basic availability refers to the ability of the
system to tolerate a partial failure (like a loss of a node). So� state
means that the system allows temporary inconsistencies before
eventually achieving consistency automatically over time. BASE
compliance ensures high availability, faster data processing,
scalability, and �exibility. However, MongoDB can also be con�gured
to provide multi-document ACID compliance.

Learn more about the advantages of NoSQL databases.

Relational database vs NoSQL

database example
Let's consider an example of storing information about a user and their
hobbies. We need to store a user's �rst name, last name, cell phone
number, city, and hobbies.
In a relational database management system (RDBMS), we'd likely
create two tables: one for Users and one for Hobbies.

In order to retrieve all of the information about a user and their

hobbies, information from the Users table and Hobbies table will need
to be joined together.

The data model we design for a NoSQL database will depend on the
type of NoSQL database we choose. Let's consider how to store the
same information about a user and their hobbies in a
document database like MongoDB.

In order to retrieve all of the information about a user and their

hobbies, a single document can be retrieved from the database. No
joins are required, resulting in faster queries.
To see a more detailed version of this data modeling example, read
Mapping Terms and Concepts From SQL to MongoDB.

Di�erences between RDBMS and

NoSQL databases
There are a variety of di�erences between relational database
management systems and non-relational databases. One of the key
di�erences is the way data is modeled in the database. Some key
di�erences of each feature is listed below:

Data modeling
NoSQL: Data models vary based on the type of NoSQL database used
— for example, key-value, document, graph, and wide-column — making
the model suitable for semi-structured and unstructured data.

RDBMS: RDBMS uses a tabular data structure, with data represented as

a set of rows and columns, making the model suitable for structured
data.

Schema
NoSQL: It provides a �exible schema where each set of documents/
row-column/key-value pairs can contain di�erent types of data. It’s
easier to change schema, if required, due to the �exibility.

RDBMS: This is a �xed schema where every row should contain the
same prede�ned column types. It is di�cult to change the schema
once data is stored.

Query language
NoSQL: It varies based on the type of NoSQL database used. For
example, MongoDB has MQL, and Neo4J uses Cypher.

RDBMS: This uses structured query language (SQL).

Scalability
NoSQL: NoSQL is designed for vertical and horizontal scaling.

RDBMS: RDBMS is designed for vertical scaling. However, it can extend

limited capabilities for horizontal scaling.

Data relationships
NoSQL: Relationships can be nested, explicit, or implicit.

RDBMS: Relationships are de�ned through foreign keys and accessed

using joins.

Transaction type
NoSQL: Transactions are either ACID- or BASE-compliant.

RDBMS: Transactions are ACID-compliant.

Performance
NoSQL: NoSQL is suitable for real-time processing, big data analytics,
and distributed environments.
and distributed environments.

RDBMS: RDBMS is suitable for read-heavy and transaction workloads.

Data consistency
NoSQL: This o�ers high data consistency.

RDBMS: This o�ers eventual consistency, in most cases.

Distributed computing
NoSQL: One of the main reasons to introduce NoSQL was for
distributed computing, and NoSQL databases support distributed data
storage, vertical and horizontal scaling through sharding, replication,
and clustering.

RDBMS: RDBMS supports distributed computing through clustering and

replication. However, it’s less scalable and �exible as it’s not
traditionally designed to support distributed architecture.

Fault tolerance
NoSQL: NoSQL has built-in fault tolerance and high availability due to
data replication.

RDBMS: RDBMS uses replication, backup, and recovery mechanisms.

However, as they are designed for these, additional measures like
disaster recovery mechanisms may need to be implemented during
application development.

Data partitioning
NoSQL: It’s done through sharding and replication.

RDBMS: It supports table-based partitioning and partition pruning.

Learn more about data partitioning here.

Data to object mapping

NoSQL: NoSQL stores the data in a variety of ways — for example, as
JSON documents, wide-column stores, or key-value pairs. It provides
abstraction through the ODM (object-data mapping) frameworks to
work with NoSQL data in an object-oriented manner.

RDBMS: RDBMS relies more on data-to-object mapping so that there is

seamless integration between the database columns and the object-
oriented application code.

To learn more about the di�erences between relational databases and

NoSQL databases, read NoSQL vs SQL Databases.

NoSQL use cases

NoSQL database systems are used in nearly every industry, for real-
time analytics, content management, IoT applications,
recommendation systems, fraud detection, product catalog
management, and much more. Use cases range from the highly critical
(e.g., storing �nancial data and healthcare records) to the more fun
and frivolous (e.g., storing IoT readings from a smart ki�y li�er box).

When should NoSQL be used?

When should NoSQL be used?
When deciding which database to use, decision-makers typically �nd
one or more of the following factors that lead them to select a NoSQL
database:

• Fast-paced Agile development

• Storage of structured and semi-structured data
• Huge volumes of data
• Requirements for scale-out architecture
• Modern application paradigms like microservices and real-time streaming

See When to Use NoSQL Databases and

Exploring NoSQL Database Examples for more detailed information on
the reasons listed above.

NoSQL database misconceptions

Over the years, many misconceptions about NoSQL databases have
spread throughout the developer community. In this section, we'll
discuss two of the most common misconceptions.

Misconception: relationship data is best suited for

relational databases
A common misconception is that NoSQL databases or non-relational
databases don't store relationship data well. NoSQL databases can
store relationship data — they just store it di�erently than relational
databases do.

In fact, when compared with relational databases, many �nd modeling

relationship data in NoSQL databases to be easier than in relational
relationship data in NoSQL databases to be easier than in relational
databases because related data doesn't have to be split between
tables. NoSQL data models allow related data to be nested within a
single data structure.

Misconception: NoSQL databases don't support ACID

transactions
Another common misconception is that NoSQL databases don't
support ACID transactions. Some NoSQL databases, like MongoDB, do,
in fact, support ACID transactions.

Note that the way data is modeled in NoSQL databases can eliminate
the need for multi-record transactions in many use cases. Consider the
earlier example where we stored information about a user and their
hobbies in both a relational model and a document store. To ensure
information about a user and their hobbies was updated together in a
relational database, we'd need to use a transaction to update records
in two tables. To do the same in a document store, we could update a
single document — no multi-record transaction required.

To learn more about common misconceptions, read

Everything You Know About MongoDB is Wrong.

NoSQL query tutorial

You could start with MongoDB, the world's most popular NoSQL
database, according to DB-Engines. The easiest way to get started
with MongoDB is MongoDB Atlas. Atlas is MongoDB's fully managed
database as a service. Atlas has a forever-free tier, which you can use
to play around. Check out the MongoDB Atlas tutorial to get started.
You can continue to interact with your data by using the Atlas Data
Explorer to insert new documents, edit existing documents, and delete
documents.

When you are ready to try more advanced queries that aggregate your
data, create an aggregation pipeline. The aggregation framework is
an incredibly powerful tool for analyzing your data. To learn more, take
the free MongoDB University Course
M121 The MongoDB Aggregation Framework.

When you want to visualize your data, check out MongoDB Charts.
Charts is the easiest way to visualize data stored in Atlas and Atlas
Data Lake. Charts allow you to create dashboards that are �lled with
visualizations of your data.

Summary
NoSQL databases provide a variety of bene�ts, including �exible data
models, horizontal scaling, lightning-fast queries, and ease of use for
developers. NoSQL databases come in a variety of types, including
document stores, key-values databases, wide-column stores, graph
databases, and multi-model databases.

MongoDB is the world's most popular NoSQL database.

Learn more about MongoDB Atlas, and give the free tier a try.

Excited to learn more now that you have your own Atlas account?
Head over to MongoDB University where you can get free online
training from MongoDB engineers and earn a MongoDB certi�cation.
training from MongoDB engineers and earn a MongoDB certi�cation.
The Quickstarts are another great place to begin; they will get you up
and running quickly with your favorite programming language.

FAQs

What are the advantages of NoSQL?

What is eventual consistency?

What is the CAP theorem?

What is NoSQL used for?

What is a NoSQL database?

How do I write a NoSQL query?

Is NoSQL hard to learn?

Is JSON a NoSQL?

What language is used to query NoSQL?

Does NoSQL have schema?

This article was wri�en by Lauren Schaefer, a MongoDB Developer
Advocate.

Learn more about key di�erences between NoSQL vs SQL Databases

Related NoSQL Resources

• What are the main di�erences between NoSQL and SQL?

• When should you use a NoSQL database?
• What are the 4 di�erent types of NoSQL databases?
• NoSQL Databases Advantages
• NoSQL data modeling and schema design
• NoSQL Database Examples

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