NoSQL vs SQL

Relax. We'll talk through this in plain words — no textbook voice.

SQL databases (e.g., MySQL) and NoSQL databases (e.g., MongoDB) — here are the key differences:

SQL (Relational):

• Structures data into tables

• Has a fixed schema (structure)

• Links tables together with JOINs

NoSQL (Non-relational):

• Organizes data as documents inside collections

• Has a dynamic/flexible schema

• Data is usually denormalized (kept bundled together in one place)

You should see

(MongoDB is a better fit for modern applications that need flexible data models)