Chapter 10. NoSQL Databases

In Chapter 5, Relational Databases, we reviewed relational databases and the SQL query language used for processing them. Remember that data in a relational database is stored in tables, which are structured datasets.

In many modern software environments, data is too fluid, dynamic, and large to benefit from the constraints of a tightly designed relational database. In such cases, a non-relational database is preferred. Since the SQL query language does not apply to such storage arrangements, these non-relational databases are called NoSQL databases. They are particularly popular in successful web-based companies, such as Facebook, Amazon, and Google. To understand how data is managed and analyzed in these environments, we need to understand how the NoSQL databases themselves work.