SQL vs NoSQL When To Use? 2023

SQL

1. Support for a rich and expressive data model: SQL databases support a wide range of data types and allow you to define complex relationships between data entities. This makes them well-suited for storing and manipulating structured data.

2. Strong consistency guarantees: SQL databases typically provide strong consistency guarantees, which means that you can be confident that the data you read is the most up-to-date version. This can be important in applications that require accurate and consistent data.

3. Support for complex queries: SQL databases support a powerful query language that allows you to specify complex queries and filter, sort, and aggregate data. This makes them well-suited for applications that require advanced data analysis or business intelligence capabilities.

4. Mature and well-established technology: SQL databases have been around for a long time and are widely used and supported. This means that there is a large and active community of users, a wealth of documentation and tutorials, and a rich ecosystem of tools and libraries.

NoSQL

1. Support for unstructured and semi-structured data: NoSQL databases are designed to handle data that does not have a fixed schema, such as documents, key-value pairs, and graphs. This makes them well-suited for applications that deal with complex, unstructured data.

2. Horizontal scalability: NoSQL databases are typically distributed, which means that they can be easily scaled horizontally across multiple machines. This makes them well-suited for applications that require high availability and need to handle large amounts of data and traffic.

3. Flexible data modeling: NoSQL databases allow you to define your data model in a flexible way, without being restricted by the constraints of a fixed schema. This can make it easier to adapt to changing requirements and evolve your data model over time.

4. Support for cloud environments: NoSQL databases are often designed to be cloud-native, which means that they can be easily deployed and managed in cloud environments. This can be useful for applications that require high availability, low latency, and the ability to scale on demand.

Overall

SQL databases are a good choice for applications that require a rich and expressive data model, strong consistency guarantees, and support for complex queries. 

NoSQL databases are a good choice for applications that require the ability to handle unstructured and semi-structured data, the flexibility to scale horizontally, and the ability to adapt to changing requirements.