Pandemic has been a boon to some and a curse to other businesses. For the IT sector, COVID-19 has opened up huge opportunities. Invariable of its size, businesses have witnessed the digital transformation. Database plays a crucial role in streamlining business processes. 

Databases, the cornerstone of apps, are large in number. There are nearly 350 databases available. Be it any application- web, IoT, AI, ML, Real-Time System, Embedded System, or any other, it is important to choose the right database.

Irrespective of the topic, it is very important to consider its impact on the contemporary world. COVID-19 has created a huge demand for software companies. From online conferencing apps to streaming apps, all the applications have witnessed a spike in its demand. Besides, 2020 also witnessed migration to the cloud database. 

COVID-19 has indeed increased the demand for web app development, mobile app development, and AI, isn’t it?

Before going deeper into the database trends of 2021, let us take a quick look at the basics.

What is Data?

Any information that is stored for future access can be called Data. The information may be in any format- numerals, text, or others. However, the traditional data collection methods have shifted from papers to hard drives and cloud storage. 

What is a Database?

Every office will have room to store all important files and documents, isn’t it? So is a Database. A database (DB) is a collection of several data entries. Moreover, it is used to store and organize information securely. 

In the pre-COVID-19 era, many businesses had on-premise Databases. With the shift to an online working environment, providing remote access to these databases became challenging. However, businesses that already had cloud DB did not face any security issues. 

Gradually, most of the businesses shifted to cloud databases. This not only helped to stabilize the demand but also reduce the running cost of on-premise assets. Besides, the scalability of cloud infrastructure also paved the way to increase their capacity easily.

Types of Databases

Earlier there were only relational databases. However, there was a rise of cloud and distributed apps, different data such as semi-structured, bug, fast, etc., and microservices. This led to the development of NoSQL, NewSQl, Cloud, and other databases along with the traditional SQL databases. 

Here is the list of the types of databases:

• Relational database 
• Distributed database
• Cloud database
• Graph database
• NoSQL database

The criteria to shortlist databases:

There are 300+ databases. In the 20th century, choosing a database was much easier. However, in the contemporary digital world, one should cautiously choose the database to meet the needs of challenging tasks in any given business.

Be it any application, having merely a superior user interface and appealing design are not enough. It is necessary to ensure a quick retrieving, processing, and delivery in it. Moreover, the database plays an important role in the configuration of the application. Thus, it is important to choose the database that suits the purpose of the project. 

The following are the criteria to select the top 7 databases.

• Key Features
• Popularity
• Mainstream Uses
• Future opportunities

Top 7 Databases in 2021

MySQL

Widenius and Axmark created the Open Source RDBMS (Relational Database Management System) in 1995. It is widely popular for its enterprise-grade features. Besides, it has a free, flexible, and commercial license. This DB focuses on important aspects such as robustness, stability, and maturity. It is widely used in the development of web apps. 

Notable Features:

• Two licensing models: Free Community Server and Proprietary Enterprise Server
• Provides multi-master ACID transactions
• CAP offers Immediate consistency
• Enables horizontal partitions. Thus it ensures near-linear scalability.
• High availability even in cases of low latency
• Supports SQL and JSON (structured and semi-structured data)
• Written in C and C++ languages
• Supports major programming languages such as C, C++, Java, PHP, Python, etc.
• Supports large databases 
• Superior recovery options

However, it is not suitable for globally distributed data or extremely relational data. Some of the industry leaders who use the MySQL database are Facebook, Uber, etc.

Oracle

Inspired by Codd’s paper “ A Relational Model of Data for Large Shared Data Banks”, Larry Ellison created Oracle in 1979. It was the first commercial RDBMS system that dominated Unix and Linux OS. The latest version of Oracle is a widely used database today with its innovative features.

Notable Features: 

• Proprietary RDBMS
• ACID Transactions
• CAP provides Immediate single server consistency
• Advanced Multi-model DB
• Supports structured, semi-structured, and spatial data
• Provides multiple access pattern
• Provides Blockchain tables
• Supports online transactional processing and online analytical processing
• Written in assembly languages, i.e., C, C++, and Java
• High availability and scalability

Some of the companies using Oracle are Exxon Mobil Corporation, McKesson Corporation, Johnson & Johnson, etc. 

PostgreSQL

The POSTGRES (Post-Ingres) project addressed the problems of existing DB. Further, it led to the birth of PostgreSQL. It is a Relational Database Management System. Besides, over more than 30 years, PostgreSQL has contributed several innovative projects. Thus, it is essentially an advanced open-source relational DB.

Notable Features:

• Open Source and Object- RDBMS
• ACID transactions
• CAP offers Immediate consistency (Single Server)
• Citus Data extension provides coveted distributed SQL features- a combination of transactional guarantee and Horizontal scaling
• Provides advanced indexes such as partial Index, bloom filters, etc.
• Feature-rich multi-model database
• Pre-defined functions, and easy data portability
• Advanced reliability, multiple interfaces, disaster recovery 
• Supports structured data, semi-structured data, spatial data

Some notable companies that use PostgreSQL are Revolt, Trivago, Accenture, etc. 

Microsoft SQL Server

In 1989, Microsoft released Microsoft SQL Server by joining hands with Ashton Tate and Sybase. This Sybase SQL is a leading commercial mid-range database. Besides, it has excellent tools too.

Notable Features:

• Proprietary RDBMS
• Diverse Licenses: Free versions include Developer and Express; Commercial versions include Standard and Enterprise
• ACID transactions
• CAP offers immediate consistency
• Written in C and C++ 
• Supports server-side scripting through T-SQL, .NET languages, Java, R, and Python languages.
• Multi-model database
• Supports Structured, Semi-structured, and spatial data
• On-premise and Cloud Tool support 
• Available on Windows and Linux OS
• High performance independent of platform
• Integrates with non-relational sources
• Row-level security, transparent data encryption
• Dynamic data masking and robust auditing
• Custom-built Graphical integration
• Create designs, tables, and view the data without syntax

Companies using Microsoft SQL server are Alibaba travels, Accenture, Intuit, Stack Overflow, etc.

MongoDB

MongoDB was initially named the company 10gen. It addressed issues such as saving semi-structured data, loading and accessing data with Object-oriented programming languages. Thus MongoDB was developed to handle document data. It was released in 2009. It is a leading NoSQL DB and the chief Document DB. 

Notable Features:

• Open-core NoSQL Database
• Different license options: Community Server- a free version; Enterprise Server- a commercial version; Atlas- a cloud version
• Auto-sharding feature offers horizontal scaling
• Built-in Replication
• CAP is Consistent and Partition Tolerant (CP)
• Supports Distributed Multi-document ACID transactions
• Powerful Query language
• Supports text-search, graph search, and geo-search
• Provisions full-text search engines and data lake
• Simple, dynamic, scalable, and object-oriented DB
• Written in C, C++, and JavaScript
• Suits the best for mobile apps, real-time analytics, IoT

Notable companies that use MongoDB are Uber, Lyft, Stack, Accenture, Delivery Hero, etc. 

Redis

Salvatore Sanfilippo created Redis in 2009. It is a highly scalable in-memory data structure store. While working on his startup, he developed this DB. However, the problems that he faced with traditional databases, led to the creation of a new one. He developed a real-time log analyzer. 

Notable Features:

• In-memory NoSQL data Structure store
• BSD 3-clause license
• Used as a Distributed cache or message broker
• Supports data structures like strings, hashes, lists, sets
• Data is sorted using range queries, bitmaps, hyper-logs, streams, etc
• High scalability
• Built-in replication and automated failover
• CAP is CP
• Advanced Cache functionality
• Suits for real-time use cases

Companies using Redis DB are Twitter, GitHub, Snapchat, Pinterest, etc.

MariaDB

Michael Widenius, the co-creator of MySQL created MariaDB. It is an RDBMS that is compatible with MySQL protocol and clients. MariaDB can effortlessly replace MySQL. However, MariaDB is community-driven, unlike MySQL.

Notable Features:

• Open Source RDBMS
• GPL v2 license has two models: free community server and commercial enterprise server
• Provides Columnar storage
• Offers horizontal partitioning with MaxScale and Spider engine
• Suits OLAP database
• The Graph Computation Engine supports hierarchical and complex graph data
• It has Xpand smart storage that is compatible with millions of transactions
• Uses a tabular structure for storing data
• Ensures easy re-organization and multiple access patterns

Leading companies that use MariaDB are Walmart, BirdView, Accenture, Alibaba, etc. 

Consider these factors to choose a database for your needs:

• Data Type: Choose SQL databases to store and process structured data. On the other hand, choose a NoSQL database for unstructured data. Besides, you can mix both in the case of mixed data.
• Scalability: The database should be capable of adjusting with your growth. You can prefer horizontal for non-relational DB or vertical scaling for relational DB.
• Security: The stored data should be secure. Hence choose ACID-compliant relational DB. In the case of NoSQL databases, extra security steps must be taken. 
• Integration: The database that you choose should integrate with your existing project tools and services seamlessly. 

Conclusion

The current list covers the top 7 databases. However, there are several other prominent databases such as Cassandra, Elasticsearch, IBM DB2, Firebase, etc. MySQL and PostgreSQL are the leaders when it comes to open-source and free databases. On the other hand, amongst commercial databases, Oracle is popular, MongoDB, Redis, and Cassandra are popular NoSQL databases. Hence, it is necessary to cautiously choose your database based on your industry-specific project.

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