NoSQL
Summary: A movement toward non-relational databases driven by the need for greater scalability, a preference for open-source, and a desire for more dynamic data models.
Sources: raw/chapter2
Last updated: 2026-04-15
The term “NoSQL” was originally intended as a catchy Twitter hashtag for a meetup in 2009, but it struck a nerve and spread quickly. It has since been retroactively reinterpreted as “Not Only SQL” (source: chapter2, p. 29).
Driving Forces
- Scalability: A need for higher write throughput or very large datasets than relational databases can easily achieve.
- Open Source: A preference for free and open-source software over commercial products.
- Specialized Queries: Support for operations not well-handled by the relational model.
- Flexibility: Frustration with restrictive relational schemas and a desire for more dynamic models (source: chapter2, p. 29).
Polyglot Persistence
The idea that different applications have different requirements, and relational databases will continue to be used alongside a variety of non-relational datastores (source: chapter2, p. 29).