Non-Relational Database
A non-relational database is a type of database that stores and manages data without using the traditional table-based relational model. It is designed to handle large volumes of unstructured or semi-structured data, offering flexibility, scalability, and high performance for specific use cases. Common types include document stores, key-value stores, column-family stores, and graph databases.
Developers should learn and use non-relational databases when dealing with big data, real-time applications, or scenarios requiring horizontal scalability and flexible schemas. They are ideal for use cases like social media feeds, IoT data streams, content management systems, and recommendation engines where data relationships are complex or evolving. This contrasts with relational databases, which are better for structured data with strict consistency requirements.