You have a database for your contacts, one for the movies you watch, another for your recipes. The backbone of any software application is its database. It’s no secret that DBs are an excellent way to store information in a structured manner.
To develop almost every sort of software apps, you’ll need one or more databases. But what kind of database should you use? With so many different options out there, it can be hard to choose one. That said, here are seven of the most popular databases available today, with their advantages and disadvantages.
OracleDB
Here’s OracleDB, ranking first among the best database management systems. It includes built-in assembly languages such as Java, C, and C++.
Advantages of OracleDB:
- Can scale the massive amount of data
- Effectively handles the memory
- Keeps up to all new security standards
- Uses advanced technology provided by Oracle
- Smoothly manages complex processes
Disadvantages of OracleDB:
- It is expensive
- Has strict system requirements for its implementation
- Dealing with its documentation is a bit problematic
Oracle database is a perfect choice for large organizations with the need of storing a hefty amount of data.
MongoDB
MongoDB is an open-source database designed for apps with unstructured data. It applies JSON-like documents with optional schemas.
Advantages of MongoDB:
- It is scalable
- NoSQL support
- It is very flexible
- Timely synchronization of data
- Increased availability
Disadvantages of MongoDB:
- It’s not as secure as other DBs
- It’s hard to properly set up
- Doesn’t work with SQL queries without added tools
MongoDB is a good choice for those who develop an app atop an operational database and require a very quick response time.
PostgreSQL
PostgreSQL is also an open-source and free DBMS with good scaling potential. Written in C, it works with both relational and non-relational data, which is here represented in the form of objects.
Advantages of PostgreSQL
- Can manage terabytes of data
- Advanced security
- Suitable for most operating systems
- Best ACID-compliant database
- Has a big set of data types
Disadvantages of PostgreSQL
- Documentation shortage
- Can be slow when executing read-only operations
With its data integrity, PostgreSQL is a great fit for businesses of any size.
MySQL
MySQL is among the best relational DBMS in 2021. Created using C and C++ and now supported by Oracle, it has strong community support and a giant user base.
Advantages of MySQL
- Free for most features
- Supports NoSQL
- Is good for structured data at the primary level
- Adaptable to other DBMS
- Focuses on speed and agility
Disadvantages of MySQL
- Additional features need to be paid for
- Takes too much time to change the data architecture or create incremental backups (most DBs do it automatically)
This RDBMS is a good choice for companies that need advanced functionality but are on a strict budget.
Microsoft SQL Server
Microsoft SQL Server is a database that is known for its blazing-fast performance and compatibility with large systems like Windows and Linux. It includes a lot of open-source code.
Advantages of Microsoft SQL Server
- Offers mobile access
- Provides speed and strength
- Can be integrated with other Microsoft products
- Works well with both cloud-based and on-site servers
- Supports SQL, Spatial Data, and JSON
Disadvantages of Microsoft SQL Server
- Has high hardware requirements
- Is expensive
MS SQL Server is a perfect solution for enterprises that rely on Microsoft products and require fast and swift DB performance.
Elasticsearch
Elasticsearch is an open core document-based database that is mostly used for full-text search. It’s based on Lucene, provides a RESTful interface with JSON documents, and can be easily integrated with Java and Python.
Advantages of Elasticsearch
- Scalable and highly available
- Provides horizontal scaling via automatic sharding
- Suitable for large volumes of data
- Backs Cross-cluster Replication (CCR) and auto-replication
- It can be used with other data management systems and services
Disadvantages of Elasticsearch
- Performance degrades for big use cases
- Occurrence of split-brain situations
Elasticsearch is a good choice for companies that want to integrate their systems without making any sacrifices in performance and capacity.
Redis
Redis is an open-source in-memory data structure store that is used as a database. Written in ANSI C, it uses keys to access data which is organized in strings, hashes, lists, sets, and sorted sets.
Advantages of Redis
- Easy to learn and set up
- Fast and scalable
- Offers data persistence and replication
- Can be also used as a message broker or distributed cache
- Excellent Cache functionality
Disadvantages of Redis
- Reliability is dependent on the amount
- Lacks built-in encryption
Redis is a great fit for companies with big and complex databases and who need a speedy and reliable solution.
Conclusion
Choosing the right database for your app can be a difficult and daunting task. Crunch software development company is here to help you find the perfect fit by leveraging our expertise in building startup and enterprise-level apps with scalable data storage solutions. We’ve created hundreds of successful projects, so we know what it takes to build something that will provide high performance while remaining cost-effective.
With years of experience developing web applications, mobile apps, desktop programs, and more, we are confident that one of these databases would make an excellent choice for your next project. Contact us today if you need assistance finding the best option for your future app!
Read also: Top Cloud Databases to Use in 2022
