What is NoSQL? NoSQL databases explained
One of the most fundamental choices to make when developing an application is whether to use a SQL or NoSQL database to store the data. Conventional SQL (i.e. relational) databases are the product of decades of technology evolution, good practice, and real-world stress testing. They are designed for reliable transactions and ad hoc queries, the staples of line of business applications. But they also come burdened with restrictions—such as rigid schema—that make them less suitable for other kinds of apps.
NoSQL databases arose in response to those limitations. NoSQL systems store and manage data in ways that allow for high operational speed and great flexibility on the part of the developers. Many were developed by companies like Google, Amazon, Yahoo, and Facebook that sought better ways to store content or process data for massive websites. Unlike SQL databases, many NoSQL databases can be scaled horizontally across hundreds or thousands of servers.