Which is better for Big Data: SQL or NoSQL
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In this tutorial, we will learn all about SQL and NoSQL databases.
What is Big Data?
Big data refers to the huge volume of data being produced on the day to day basis. It is the data that is very large and complex with an enormous speed of generation.
The act of collecting, storing, and utilizing data for analysis and drawing insights has been in practice for quite a long time. But the term Big Data came into existence in the late 2000s.
Big data depend on three V’s which are as follows:
- Volume
- Velocity
- Variety
The importance of data or big data lies in the fact that what you can do with it and not the amount of data you have.
What is SQL?
SQL, which goes by the full form – Structured Query Language is a programming language.
It is a query language used to deal with relational database operations and queries.
It involves manipulating or updating a database or creating a new database. Major operations on a database are famous as CRUD operations i.e., Create, Read, Update and Delete and are a widely used database in the technological world.
The database should be able to store the large volumes of data being produced today.
SQL is a powerful tool for someone who deals with data on a day-to-day basis. SQL can insert data into a database.
It can search for some data in the database and also it supports updating and deletion of data stored in the database.
What is NoSQL?
A NoSQL database is invested into the simplicity of use and control over the availability.
The data structures which are the core of NoSQL are far away in similarities when compared to the RDBMS counterparts of it.
The compatibility of a given NoSQL database in a situation depends on the problem which we need to solve.
Data structures used by NoSQL are flexible when compared to the other available RDBMS resources.
NoSQL stores are reliable and scalable with all the available systems.
Some of the drawbacks include the use of low-level query languages and the lack of proper user interfaces. NoSQL databases lack proper ACID properties.
SQL vs NoSQL
The comparison between SQL and NoSQL is as follows:
| Sr.No | Point of comparison | SQL | NoSQL |
| 1 | Interaction | SQL is a highly interactive language and deals with almost all inputs provided by the user. | NoSQL lags in interaction as it demands the user to be very specific in what they need as the output. |
| 2 | Standardization | SQL is universally accepted as a standard database. | NoSQL is not a standard database management system. |
| 3 | Scalability | SQL systems are scalable and fault tolerable systems, but the achievement of large scale deployment of the system is not feasible. | NoSQL had a focus on distribution and scalability since the start. Thus, is very effective when it comes to the scalability of even the huge systems. |
| 4 | JSON support | SQL is rich in providing support for various data types. | NoSQL supports and deals with unstructured data. |
| 5 | Flexibility | SQL can only deal with the data of predefined type. | NoSQL has the capability to handle any input data provided. |
| 6 | Cost | SQL systems end being too costly. | NoSQL systems are very cost-efficient. |
| 7 | Data Integrity | SQL databases work on the ACID properties hence always provide data integrity. | NoSQL systems at times overlook data integrity to deal with the enormous data points. |
| 8 | Data Storage | SQL databases store data in tables. | NoSQL databases store data in the form of collections. |
| 9 | License | SQL systems come with a license and need payment after a certain period of time. | NoSQL systems are available under the open-source license and thus are free to use. |
| 10 | Principle | SQL databases work on the ACID[Atomicity, Consistency, Isolation, and Durability] principle. | NoSQL databases work on the CAP[Consistency, Availability, Partition Tolerability] principle. |
| 11 | Community Support | SQL is an old market holder and has a large community for support and development. | NoSQL is comparatively new and thus is weak when it comes to community support. |
Summary
The choice between using SQL or NoSQL for big data depends on the individual and the circumstances as both of them have some pros and some cons.
SQL databases are reliable as they have been available for a long time in the industry. They have a fixed schema defined beforehand with the set rules for the data.
Thus, they are ideal for applications that require multiple transactions like an accounting system.
While on the other hand, NoSQL databases are easy to scale, flexible, and simple to use as they have no fixed or pre-decided schema.
They are ideal for applications with flexible schema definitions such as analytics and content management platforms.
Thus, we can say that the choice of database to be put to use is subject to one’s requirements.
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