A Practical Guide to Choosing a Database
Deciding between relational databases, document stores and other options for a project.
Marcus Adeyemi
Why does it matter?
Most web projects are well served by a relational database, and the wrong choice creates work that never ends.
What are the numbers?
- Relational databases handle structured data and transactions well
- Document stores suit flexible or nested documents
- Key-value stores excel at caching and simple lookups
- Operational cost each additional system needs monitoring and expertise
What should I do?
- Start with a relational database unless there is a clear reason not to
- Match the model to how data is queried
- Limit the number of data stores
- Plan backups for every store
- Test with realistic data volumes
What should I avoid?
Avoid:
- Choosing by trend
- Several data stores for one small product
- Schema-less designs without discipline
- Ignoring transaction needs
When should I get help?
Short answer Bring in help when data requirements are unusual.
Where this comes from
- Microsoft Learn — Choose a data store
- Laravel Documentation — Database: Getting started
The figures and practices above come from the sources listed.
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