Non-Relational Databases
Non-relational databases, also known as NoSQL databases, are data storage systems that do not use the traditional table-based relational model. They are designed to handle large volumes of unstructured or semi-structured data, offering flexibility in data modeling and horizontal scalability. Common types include document, key-value, column-family, and graph databases.
Developers should use non-relational databases when dealing with big data, real-time web applications, or scenarios requiring high scalability and performance, such as social media platforms, IoT systems, or content management. They are ideal for applications with evolving data schemas, where the rigid structure of relational databases would be a limitation, and for distributed systems that need to scale out across multiple servers.