Web App Development: Top 11 Popular Database

The Top 11 Databases for Web App Development Any web application development starts with a database. It is a logically ordered collection of data or structured information stored and accessed electronically. The database is managed using database management systems. A small database may be stored locally, while an extensive database will require cloud storage or computer clusters.

A database is similar to an office where all the vital information about a project may be kept. All firms require databases for the storage and management of sensitive data.

A database is required to operate not just enterprises but also websites and many apps. Regardless of the application you create, it will gather data, and a database will be required to store, manage, edit, and delete that data.

DB-Engines has picked the top 11 databases based on the Stack Overflow survey that you may employ in your next project, even though there are approximately 391 databases on the market.

The top 11 databases for web app development are: 

MySQL is the first database.

Oracle Corporation invented, distributed, and maintains MySQL, an open-source relational database management system. Several apps, websites, and commercial products use it as their primary RDBMS. MySQL is one of the most stable, trustworthy, and secure SQL database management systems, with over 20 years of community support and development.

Features:

  • The productivity tools available are triggers, updateable views, and stored procedures.
  • MySQL’s InnoDB transactional storage engine adheres to the ACID paradigm and offers data security features such as auto-commit and point-in-time recovery.
  • MySQL has several security features, including password encryption and host-based verification, that are both stringent and flexible.
  • Because there are no additional license charges, you can freely alter and use the source code.
  • It employs a thread-based memory allocation scheme.
  • MySQL supports C, C++, Java, Perl, PHP, Python, and Tcl for client-side programming.

When Should You Use It?

  • MySQL best suits transactional SQL-based applications, such as high-traffic websites or mission-critical applications.
  • It can be employed when the production environment necessitates dynamically shrinking or growing OS numbers.
  • When horizontal scalability is the most important need.
  • If you require a multi-master ACID transaction for your application.
  • For programs that demand a convergent database, MySQL is the best option (one with both OLAP and OLTP workload).
  1. PostgreSQL is a relational database management system.

PostgreSQL, sometimes known as Postgres, is a free, open-source, enterprise-class, sophisticated relational database management system (RDBMS) that prioritizes SQL conformance and extensibility. Postgres has a reputation for speed, durability, and stability after more than 30 years of active development. JSON (non-relational) and SQL (relational) queries are both supported.

Features:

  • PostgreSQL works with various programming languages, including C, C++, Java, Perl, Python, Tcl, Ruby, and ODBC.
  • All major operating systems, including macOS, Linux, Windows, and Unix, are supported.
  • UNIQUE, NOT NULL, Primary Keys, Foreign Keys, Exclusion Constraints, and other data integrity features are available in Postgres.
  • It’s pretty extendable and can handle a variety of data types.
  • Multi-version concurrency control (MVCC), SQL subselects, multiple indexing, streaming replications, and other SQL features are included.
  • Postgres features a strong access control system incorporating authentications such as GSSAPI, SSPI, LDAP, SCRAM-SHA-256, and others.
  • It has features like write-ahead logging (WAH), point-in-time recovery, replications, and tablespaces for disaster recovery.

When Should You Use It?

  • When your application or website requires Dispersed SQL to manage millions of transactions in globally distributed data, PostgreSQL is the best choice.
  • When you need to use a query planner.
  • Disaster recovery and dependability capabilities such as Active Standbys and PITR are required for the app.
  • The use of geospatial data and a multi-model database is necessary.
  1. SQLite 

SQLite is a C-based lightweight software library that provides applications with a relational database management system. SQLite belongs to the embedded database family since it is not a standalone program but rather a library that can be used in an app. SQLite supports many programming languages and uses the same syntax as PostgreSQL, although it does not do type-checking.

Features:

  • There is no need for any setup or administrator configuration.
  • ACID transactions must be provided.
  • Have a full-featured SQL implementation with JSON, partial indexes, common table expressions, and indexes on expressions, among other features.
  • Small code footprints and an API that is simple to use.
  • Provide annotated source code with full coverage for branch tests.
  • SQLite is a self-contained database with no external requirements.

When Should You Use It?

  • Set-up boxes, cameras, autos, aircraft, remote sensors, gaming consoles, drones, and other electronic devices use SQLite as their database engine.
  • It’s best used as a database engine for websites with low to moderate traffic. The amount of online traffic that SQLite can manage is determined by how reliant a website is on a database.
  • Desktop programs such as financial analysis tools, version control systems, CAD software, and so on can use in the on-disk format.
  • To decrease latency and reduce network and database server load, SQLite is utilized in many applications as a cache for relevant material from RDBMS.
  1. Microsoft SQL Server

It is a relational database management system that accesses databases using Structured Query Language (SQL). T-SQL (Transact-SQL) provides a set of proprietary programming constructs to Microsoft SQL Server. SQLOS (SQL Server Operating System) and Data Engine are the two fundamental components of Microsoft SQL Server. Enterprise, Standard, Business Intelligence, Web, Express, and Workgroup are some editions offered.

Features:

  • Analysis service features in Microsoft SQL Server assist in creating and managing OLAP and data mining applications.
  • It’s a proprietary relational database management system with commercial (Standard and Enterprise) and free licenses (Developer and Express).
  • Provide transactions that are guaranteed to be ACID.
  • It’s a multi-model database that can handle semi-structured, structured, and spatial data.

When Should You Use It?

  • The development environment is tightly coupled with Microsoft’s many products.
  • If data analysis with SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS) is necessary,
  • You must use SQL Server Integration Services to do ETL (Extract, Transform, and Load) processes.
  • For apps that generate reports.
  1. MongoDB 

MongoDB is a document-oriented NoSQL database that is cross-platform and source-available. It provides the necessary scalability and flexibility for indexing and querying data. MongoDB stores data in a JSON-like document format that allows fields to differ between documents and changes the data structure.

Features:

  • High availability is ensured by built-in failover and replication.
  • MongoDB provides data security from beginning to end.
  • It has native sharding and horizontal scalability.
  • MongoDB allows you to explore schemas and validate documents.
  • Have monitoring, automation, and backup management tools.
  • MongoDB is an entirely elastic database as a service with best practices built in.

When Should You Use It?

  • MongoDB may be used in any web app or website that needs to see data in real-time.
  • IoT systems may utilize it to evaluate and act on data acquired from the real environment.
  • If you need real-time analytics, you’ve come to the right place.
  • Build as many features as possible from a single database if you wish to store and exchange material.
  • Data without a schema
  1. Redistribute

Redis is an in-memory data structure store that may be used as a cache, database, streaming engine, or message broker. Bitmaps, range queries, hyperloglogs, streams, and geographic indexes are all supported. Redis Sentinel and Redis Cluster provide high availability and automated partitioning. Based on ANSI C, Redis is compatible with practically all POSIX systems, including Mac OS X, Linux, and the Berkeley Software Distribution (BSD).

Features:

  • Redis provides minimal latency and great throughput while accessing data.
  • Lists, Strings, Sorted Sets, Sets, Bitmaps, Hashes, HyperLogLogs, and more data structures are available in Redis.
  • It enables programmers to create more complicated code in fewer, shorter lines.
  • The primary-replica architecture of Redis allows developers to create solutions that are extremely dependable and constant in performance.

When Should You Use It?

  • Redis is an excellent choice for in-memory caching since it reduces data latency, relieves the pressure on your NoSQL or relational database, and boosts speed.
  • For high availability and durability, developers utilize Redis to store and manage session data for web-based applications.
  • It may be utilized in real-time broadcasts, chat rooms, and social networking apps for high performance.
  • Game developers often use it to create real-time leaderboards.
  1. MariaDB 

MariaDB is a commercially funded, community-built, accessible, and open-source clone of MySQL RDBMS, ranked seventh on the list. MariaDB is built for scalability, reliability, and compatibility. MariaDB offers exact matching and library binary parity with MySQL APIs and commands, allowing it to be utilized as a MySQL substitute in various applications.

Features:

  • The InnoDB storage engine in MariaDB supports ACID transactions and foreign keys.
  • It has a high level of dependability and performance.
  • It has two license options: Enterprise Server, which is paid, and free Community Server.
  • The OQGraph computing engine in MariaDB supports complicated and hierarchical graph data types.

When Should You Use It?

  • If you need assured ACID transactions and organized data.
  • Multi-mastering clustering and multi-node data warehousing are required.
  • If a multi-model database is required by the app, web app, or website,
  • If the web application requires a convergent database.
  1. Firebase 

Google’s Firebase is a backend-as-a-service (BaaS) platform that includes several tools and services to assist developers in creating high-quality apps. The real-time database for Firebase is hosted in the cloud. The data in Firebase is kept in JSON format and synced in real-time to all connected users.

Features:

  • Firebase-based apps stay responsive even offline since the SDK saves data to disk. When the device connects, any missing modifications are synced with the current server state.
  • Instead of HTTP requests, Firebase Realtime Database employs data synchronization to update data in linked devices in milliseconds.
  • It doesn’t require application servers and may be accessed straight from a smartphone or a web browser.

When Should You Use It?

  • If you want to make your user experience more personalized.
  • For determining the audience based on user behavior and other analytics characteristics.
  • If you want users to be able to share or resize photographs in real-time, this is the way to go.
  • Even queuing must be done on the cloud.
  • Notifications in real-time and chat/messaging are required.
  1. ElasticSearch 

ElasticSearch is a distributed RESTful search and analytics engine for all forms of data, including numerical, structured, unstructured, textual, and geographical data. It’s based on Apache Lucene and is notable for its scalability, speed, REST APIs, and distributed nature.

Features:

  • Because of its automated sharding and horizontal scalability, ElasticSearch is the most scalable search engine.
  • It can handle both organized and unstructured data.
  • ElasticSearch also supports cross-cluster replication and automated replication.
  • It is a component of Elastic Stack that is utilized for landscape observation.

When Should You Use It?

  • Text search in near real-time with powerful machine learning is required.
  • When dealing with big data sets
  • It is necessary to do a moderate to advanced full-text search.
  • When semi-structured data is needed.
  1. Oracle 

Oracle is a multi-model database management system (DBMS) created by Oracle Corporation. It is built in Java, C, and C++. It’s a first-generation corporate grid database that lets businesses manage data and applications flexibly and cost-effectively. Oracle DB is the most secure and robust database and has extensive documentation. It takes up less room and processes information more swiftly.

Features:

  • Document Store, Cloud, Graph DBMS, Key-value storage, PDF, and blog storage are all supported.
  • It’s cross-platform and works with a variety of operating systems.
  • It features high availability, scalability, security, data warehousing, and other features.
  • RDBMS (Relational Database Management System) that a company owns.

When Should You Use It?

  • It’s necessary to have an ACID transaction guarantee.
  • Data warehousing is a term that refers to the process of storing
  • Database that has been merged
  • Looking for a blockchain table?
  • A database with several models is required.
  1. DynamoDB

DynamoDB is an Amazon-developed, fully managed, fast, and flexible NoSQL database service. It provides seamless scalability as well as quick, consistent performance. While securing sensitive data, DynamoDB enables encryption to reduce complexity and operational load.

Features:

  • The DynamoDB Accelerator (DAX) enhances the web app’s read speed while lowering microsecond latency.
  • With global tables, it provides automated replication.
  • There is no server for DynamoDB to administer, monitor, or patch.
  • It supports ACID transactions natively on the server.
  • It is protected by point-in-time recovery, encryption, and restoration and backup on-demand.

When Should You Use It?

  • High connectivity and concurrencies are necessary when millions of people need to connect in milliseconds.
  • It is necessary to increase media throughput and reduce delay.
  • Support for significant traffic during large-scale events is required.

How Do You Pick The Right Database For Your Project?

Now that we’ve learned about the most common databases for web app development, it’s time to learn how to select the best database for your project.

For a technical decision-maker, choosing a database is a long-term commitment. To make an informed selection, you must first comprehend the database’s intended application, the types of features that different databases may provide, use cases, and licensing.

Although selecting the proper one might be tough, an experienced team of developers can examine your needs and suggest which would be the greatest fit for your project.