6 of the Best Free Linux Document-Oriented Databases

A database is a collection of records or data that is stored in a computer system. Database tools and applications are designed to help you store and manage data in a controlled and structured manner. A database is a vital system for any organisation that stores mission critical information. The continual failure of a company's database system will inevitably lead to the demise of the organisation; companies cannot function without a fully working database system.

There are a number of different types of database. The most popular choice in storing data such as personal information, financial records, and medical records is the relational database management system. This type of system makes use of common 'keys' to tie related information together with data being manipulated with the SQL data definition and query language. SQL has many strengths for querying data. However, there are some disadvantages inherent in SQL. For example, SQL does not scale horizontally particularly well.

There are other types of databases available in situations where relational databases are not well suited. Document-oriented databases are particular strong in situations where horizontal scalability is required. As your database grows, additional servers or resources from the cloud can be added thereby avoiding the need to use expensive supercomputers.

Document-based databases do not store data in tables with uniform sized fields for each record. Instead, each record is stored as a document without the need to define in advance the schema of the data. This means that any number of fields of any length can be added to a document. JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) objects are frequently used in document-oriented databases. This type of database operates on something similar to distributed hash tables.

There is a good selection of Linux document-oriented databases that are available under an open source license. This article selects our personal pick of databases which can offer better performance in your application as well as quicker development time.

So, let's explore the 6 document-oriented databases at hand. For each application we have compiled its own portal page, providing a screenshot of the software in action, a full description with an in-depth analysis of its features, together with links to relevant resources and reviews.

Return to our complete collection of Group Tests, identifying the finest Linux software.

Last Updated Saturday, July 23 2011 @ 05:47 PM EDT