SQL vs NoSQL: Choosing Database Design

Hello everyone! I have recently concluded my Let’s Build A MySQL Node.Js CRUD App series and received a few questions regarding the difference between SQL and NoSQL databases. Thank you so much for enjoying the series and participating with questions.

In this article, I shall answer these questions by comparing relational and non-relational databases and determine when it’s best to choose one over the other.

SQL vs. NoSQL: What are they

Both SQL and NoSQL Databases serve the same purpose — to store data. But they do have some differences between them.

First, SQL stands for Structured Query Language. It is a language used to retrieve and manipulate data in relational databases. A relational database is a type of database that uses predefined schemas and tables, making it very structured.

Unlike SQL (relational) databases, NoSQL or non-relational databases store data in unstructured formats. Instead of tables, NoSQL databases can come in various forms such as JSON (document-based), key-value pairs, graphs and dynamic-sized tables.