Databases 101 : A short primer on its journey, evolution, and different flavours.
?? Databases are everywhere, and it’s hard to imagine the world without these ‘gatekeepers of information.’
What started as basic data storage on file systems in the 1950s and progressed through CODASYL and IMS in the 1960s, evolved into RDBMS in the 1970s and later into a variety of databases, each tailored for specific tasks.
Let’s dig in:
1?? Relational Databases (RDBMS)
?? What It Is:
Structured data organized into tables (rows and columns), with relationships defined using keys like Primary Key and Foreign Key.
?? Examples: MySQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle Database, Microsoft SQL Server.
?? Uses:?? Transaction systems: Banking, e-commerce, and ERP systems. ?? Applications requiring high reliability and consistency, such as customer portals.
2?? NoSQL Databases
?? What It Is:
Designed for unstructured or semi-structured data. Typically schema-less and optimized for scalability.
?? Flavours of NoSQL:
a. Document Databases
Examples: MongoDB, Couchbase
Stores data in document formats like JSON.
?? Uses: Content management systems, real-time analytics, catalog systems.
b. Key-Value Stores
Examples: Redis, DynamoDB, etcd
Data stored as simple key-value pairs.
? Uses: Caching, session management, real-time data storage.
c. Column-Family Stores
Examples: Cassandra, HBase
Stores data in columns instead of rows, enhancing scalability.
?? Uses: Big data applications.
d. Graph Databases
Examples: Neo4j, ArangoDB
Represents data as nodes and edges to model relationships.
?? Uses: Social networks, fraud detection, recommendation systems.
3?? Time-Series Databases
?? What It Is:
Optimized for handling time-stamped data with high write throughput and efficient time interval queries.
?? Examples: InfluxDB, TimescaleDB.
?? Uses:??? IoT devices (temperature, humidity).?? Stock market data and financial analytics.??? Performance monitoring (server metrics, app logs).
4?? Object-Oriented Databases
?? What It Is:
Stores data as objects, similar to object-oriented programming paradigms.
?? Examples: ObjectDB.
?? Uses:?? Applications with complex data relationships, like CAD systems or multimedia applications.
5?? Distributed Databases
?? What It Is:
Data is distributed across multiple servers but appears as a single database to users.
?? Examples: Apache Cassandra, CockroachDB.
?? Uses:?? Globally distributed systems like CDNs and global e-commerce platforms.
6?? Spatial Databases
?? What It Is:
Focuses on spatial or visual data (e.g., GIS systems).
?? Examples: Geodatabase, PostGIS.
?? Uses:??? Mapping and geospatial applications.??? Urban planning and logistics optimization.
7?? Blockchain Databases
?? What It Is:
A distributed ledger database where records are immutable and cryptographically secured.
?? Examples: Hyperledger, BigchainDB.
?? Uses: ?? Cryptocurrencies (Bitcoin, Ethereum).?? Supply chain tracking and secure data sharing.
8?? In-Memory Databases
?? What It Is:
Stores data in memory for ultra-fast access.
?? Examples: Redis, Memcached.
?? Uses: ??? Real-time applications like leaderboards.?? Live analytics and session storage.
9?? Hierarchical Databases
?? What It Is:
Organizes data in a tree-like structure, with parent-child relationships.
?? Examples: IBM Information Management System (IMS).
?? Uses: ?? Early systems like banking and reservation systems.
?? Multimedia Databases
?? What It Is:
Optimized to store and query multimedia data like videos, images, and audio files.
?? Examples: Oracle Multimedia, Apache Jackrabbit.
?? Uses: ?? Media streaming platforms. ?? Digital libraries.
1??1?? Data Warehouses
?? What It Is:
Specialized for analytical queries on large volumes of historical data. Focused on OLAP (Online Analytical Processing).
?? Examples: Snowflake, Amazon Redshift, Google BigQuery.
?? Uses: ?? Business intelligence, reporting, and predictive analytics.
1??2?? Vector Databases
?? What It Is:
Optimized for storing, searching, and querying vectors in high-dimensional spaces.
?? Examples: Faiss, Pinecone.
?? Uses: ?? AI and LLMs (Large Language Models).
1??3?? Embedded Databases
?? What It Is:
Lightweight databases stored and run as part of an application.
?? Examples: SQLite, BerkeleyDB.
?? Uses: ?? Desktop applications. ?? Proof of concepts.
pic courtesy : algomaster