NoSQL database

As explained in Building Web APIs with ASP.NET Core

NoSQL is a class of nonrelational database systems that use flexible data models such as documents, key-value collections, graphs, or wide columns.

A NoSQL database is a nonrelational database that stores data in flexible structures rather than fixed tables. NoSQL means “Not Only SQL”: many systems support SQL variants, but commonly expose JSON-like retrieval APIs. section 4.1.1

The main implementation differences from SQL databases are:

• Stores records in collections of documents containing flexible key/value pairs, rather than rows and columns in fixed-schema tables. section 4.1.1
• Often keeps related information inside one document, such as roles within a user document or comments within a board-game document. section 4.1.1
• Uses a different approach to relationships than SQL databases, whose records commonly connect through primary keys. section 4.1.1

Choosing a database for MyBGList

A board-game API might use NoSQL for a CSV import containing IDs, names, publication years, and related information. The decision favors SQL when the dataset is small, record structures should remain consistent, horizontal scaling is unnecessary, and the application already benefits from caching and paging. ASP.NET Core supports both approaches; the available NoSQL options include Azure Cosmos DB and third-party providers. section 4.1.2

Figure 4.1 MyBGList database schema diagram for a table-oriented SQL database

Compare the table-oriented SQL schema with its record types and relationships. section 4.1.1

Figure 4.2 MyBGList database schema diagram for a document-oriented NoSQL database

Compare the document-oriented alternative, including how related board-game information is organized. section 4.1.1

How Building Web APIs with ASP.NET Core covers it

How deep it goes

Defines document storage and relationship differences, but stops short of detailed product-specific behavior.

Examples

Uses MyBGList board-game records, CSV imports, document collections, and paired SQL and NoSQL schema diagrams.

What it assumes

Introduces SQL and NoSQL terminology while assuming a web API, imported data, and basic database schema context.

What you can do after

Evaluate SQL and NoSQL choices against dataset size, schema consistency, scaling needs, caching, paging, and framework support.

How it connects

Connects NoSQL with SQL databases, data modeling, database schema, horizontal scaling, caching, paging, and ASP.NET Core.

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Also explained in

• 

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  ScyllaDB in ActionA NoSQL database is a non-relational database system that uses data models other than the traditional relational table model.
• 

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  Amazon Web Services in Action, Third Edition: An in-depth guide to AWSA NoSQL database is a nonrelational database designed for data models and scaling approaches that do not depend on the traditional relational table model.
• 

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  Think Like a CTOA NoSQL database stores data without requiring the fixed tabular structure and schema constraints typical of relational databases.
• 

  liveBookmanning.com
  Java Persistence with Spring Data and Hibernate epubA NoSQL database is a nonrelational database system designed around data models and access patterns other than the traditional relational table model.
• 

  liveBookmanning.com
  Microsoft Azure in ActionA NoSQL database is a nonrelational database designed to store and retrieve data using flexible structures rather than a fixed relational schema.
• 

  liveBookmanning.com
  Building Distributed Applications that WorkA non-relational database system that stores and accesses data using models other than relational tables and does not rely primarily on SQL.

Compare how 7 books explain NoSQL database →

Related concepts

• MongoDBincludes · MongoDB is a document-oriented database management system that stores data as BSON documents, typically organized into collections.
• SQLcontrasts with · SQL is a standardized declarative language for defining, querying, and manipulating data and structures in relational database systems.
• Cosmos DBincludes · Azure Cosmos DB is Microsoft's globally distributed, multimodel cloud database service, supporting multiple data models and APIs.
• ScyllaDBincludes · ScyllaDB is a distributed wide-column database compatible with Cassandra’s data model and protocol, designed for high scalability and availability.
• table storageincludes · Azure Table Storage is a NoSQL data store that stores structured, nonrelational data as schemaless entities in tables, addressed by partition and row keys.

This explainer was generated by Manning's knowledge graph from the text of Building Web APIs with ASP.NET Core. The section links point to the parts of the book it draws on.