Seven Databases in Seven Weeks, 2nd Edition

Chapter 1Introduction

The non-relational database paradigm—we’ll call it NoSQL throughout this book, following now-standard usage—is no longer the fledgling upstart that it once was. When the NoSQL alternative to relational databases came on the scene, the “old” model was the de facto option for problems big and small. Today, that relational model is still going strong and for many reasons:

• Databases such as PostgreSQL, MySQL, Microsoft SQL Server, and Oracle, amongst many others, are still widely used, discussed, and actively developed.

• Knowing how to run SQL queries remains a highly sought-after skill for software engineers, data analysts, and others.

• There remains a vast universe of use cases for which a relational database is still beyond ...