In the first part of this article, we introduced some types of databases. As mentioned, a database is a set of data and information stored in an organized manner in a system, and it is possible to access and search them. In fact, the database is a safe and reliable environment for storing and sharing data, which is managed by database management systems (Database Management System) as software.
Previously, we introduced Relational Database, Object-Oriented Database, and Network Database and their features. In this section, we introduce some other more widely used databases.
Document Database
In this type of database, information is stored as documents, usually in JSON or XML format. A document database has a dynamic structure can change according to programming needs. Other features of this type of database include the ability to process data quickly, the ability to create data quickly, the ability to support various types of data, the ability to be flexible, and the ability to upgrade.
A document database is a NoSQL database where data is stored as documents. In this type of database, each document can contain various data in different formats, such as JSON, XML, HTML, etc.
Other features of the document database include:
1- Flexibility
In a document database, data structures are stored openly and flexibly. This feature allows users to easily change the data structure at any moment and quickly respond to their needs.
2- Ability to support various data
In a document database, you can easily store data in different formats. This feature allows users to work with diverse data and meet their needs easily.
3- High speed
In these types of databases, data is stored in the form of documents; in this way, they can be accessed easily, and processing operations can be performed at a high speed.
4- Extensibility
The document database is expandable, and new documents and new processes can be easily added to it. This feature enables the database to respond to the needs of new data and adapt to changes in the data structure.
5- Ability to support security
In a document database, data security can be easily ensured. Using data encryption and controlled access, sensitive information can be easily protected.
6- Ability to support transactions
The document database can support transactions, which means it supports ACID. This feature makes the transactions to be definitively returned to the initial state in case of an error, and the data in the database has high durability.
7- Ability to support search
Advanced search tools can be easily used in a document database to query data. Using these tools allows you to access the required data accurately and quickly.
8- Ability to support distribution
Sandy database supports distribution and can be easily run on multiple servers. This feature makes the database compatible with more users and more data volume.
Finally, the document database using the document structure, flexibility, ability to support various data, high speed, scalability, security support, transaction support, searchability, distribution support ability, and other features is a powerful way to store and manage. Text data. Using this database, you can easily work with textual data and perform more complex processing.
Non-relational Database (NoSQL Database)
This type of database includes different types of databases such as columnar database, document database, key-value database, and graph database. NoSQL databases are flexible and extensible from the point of view of data structure and can be used on large scales. Other features of these types of databases include support for various types of data, support for scalability, support for direct reference to data, upgradeability, and flexibility.
We explain the features of non-relational databases (NoSQL Database) below:
1- Flexibility
One of the prominent features of non-relational databases is their flexibility. Due to this feature, NoSQL databases have more flexibility than relational databases. This means that this need can be met by increasing the traffic and volume of data and adding a new server to the database. This feature is very important for projects with high traffic and the need to process large data.
2- High speed
Another feature of NoSQL databases is their high speed. Due to this feature, NoSQL databases have a lot of processing capabilities and can easily process user requests. This feature is very important in projects with high traffic and the need to process large data.
3- Expandability
Another feature of NoSQL databases is their scalability. Due to this feature, NoSQL databases are highly scalable, and adding new servers to the database can easily meet larger needs. This feature is important for projects with processing needs and large data volumes.
4- Multiple data structures
Another feature of NoSQL databases is the ability to support multiple data structures. Due to this feature, NoSQL databases can easily work with multi-structured data such as JSON, XML, etc., which means that NoSQL databases are very suitable for projects that require multiple data processing.
5- No need to define the structure
Another feature of NoSQL databases is no need to define the data structure. In relational databases, to store data, the data structure must be defined first. But in NoSQL databases, this need does not exist and you can easily store data with different structures or without structure. This feature is very important for projects with non-uniform and diverse data.
6- Distributed support
Another feature of NoSQL databases is their distributed support. Due to this feature, NoSQL databases can easily be used for projects that require distributed data processing. This feature is very important for projects with high traffic and the need to process large data.
7- Supporting different data storage methods
Another feature of NoSQL databases is support for different data storage methods. NoSQL databases can easily use different storage methods such as columnar, document, key/value, etc. This feature is important for projects with processing needs and large data volumes.
8- Ability to support transaction
These databases can support different types of transactions, such as ACID and BASE. ACID is a set of principles to ensure the integrity of database transactions, including atomicity, repeatability, isolation, and stability. This set of principles means that database transactions must be performed with high reliability and without any negative impact on the stored data. For example, if a transaction includes multiple operations, if one of the operations fails and cannot be completed, the entire transaction will be rolled back to ensure that the data in the database remains intact.
BASE is a separate set of principles designed for NoSQL databases. BASE principles include best effort, diffusion, randomness, and flexibility. It means that in NoSQL databases, instead of being ACID, the principle of behavior is the best effort to fulfill users’ requests and to try to maintain the integrity of the data. This means that NoSQL databases try to execute queries and update data as often as possible, but to maintain data integrity, a change may take longer to reflect.
Also, NoSQL databases support transactions at different data levels, meaning that transactions are made for a single document or set of documents rather than for the entire database. This feature is very important for projects with processing needs and large data volumes that require different transactions.
In general, transaction support is one of the important features of NoSQL databases, which allows users to perform their transactions with high accuracy and speed and make the best use of their data in large and high-traffic databases.
Distributed Database
In such types of databases, the data is stored in several different servers, each with a part of the data. The distributed database is suitable for use in large and high-traffic environments. Other features of this type of database include scalability, high-security support, data recovery in case of failure, the ability to determine the location independent of servers, and upgradeability.
Below we examine the features of the distributed database:
1- Scalability
One of the prominent features of these types of databases is their scalability. Due to this feature, the distributed database is more scalable than local databases. This means that this need can be met by increasing the traffic and data volume of the database and adding a new server to the database. This feature is very important for large companies and projects with high traffic to benefit from the distributed database.
2- Ability to be available
Another feature that is important in a distributed database is its availability. In a distributed database, if one server goes down, the data will still be available and automatically transferred to another server. This feature is very important for systems requiring high stability, such as banking, commercial, etc.
3- Sustainability
Another feature of distributed database is its stability. Distributing data on different servers reduces the possibility of data loss due to server failure and increases data security. For example, if one server crashes, the data on other servers is easily accessible, and the possibility of data loss is reduced altogether.
4- Geographical distribution
A distributed database places data on different servers in different locations. This means that users in different regions can access the data locally without accessing the main server. This feature is important for systems with extensive users and sometimes with international resources.
5- Synchronization
In a distributed database, the data is synchronized on different servers. This means that if data is updated on one of the servers, the same data will also be updated on the other servers. This feature is very important because it ensures that the data on different servers are always up-to-date and there are no conflicts between them.
6- Security
Due to the distribution of data in different servers, it becomes more difficult to access the data, which means improving the database’s security. Also, in the distributed database, access control can be set for each user’s access to the data and limit users’ access to the data. This feature is also very important because data security is one of the most important issues in the digital world.
7- High performance
Another feature of distributed databases is their high performance. Due to this feature, the distributed database has a high processing capability and can easily process user requests. In addition, due to data distribution, the speed of data access will improve, and users can access their data quickly.
8- Low cost
The next thing to mention is the lower cost that can be achieved by choosing a distributed database for large and high-traffic projects. Because distributing data in different servers automatically manages the volume of data available in each server, and there is no need for very powerful and expensive servers.