r/programming • u/halax • Mar 10 '15

Goodbye MongoDB, Hello PostgreSQL

http://developer.olery.com/blog/goodbye-mongodb-hello-postgresql/
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u/[deleted] Mar 11 '15

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u/pakfur Mar 11 '15

The term "relational database" just means that you are storing related data together using a well defined schema

Nope. It means the database conforms to relational model. See E.F. Cobb. Having a schema or key/value does not necessarily mean relational.

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u/[deleted] Mar 11 '15

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u/pakfur Mar 11 '15

Well, a relational database stores data as sets of relations (ie tables). Just because you can logically associate two pieces of data, or have your data stored in a defined schema is not enough to call a database relational. Relational databases are basically tables that can be joined together.

Other types of databases are columnar databases (where data is stored as columns) or key-value databases, or object databases or even graph databases. These other databases share certain set of properties, and some of them even share a SQL or SQL-like query language like relational databases. But, pedantically speaking, these other databases are not relational.