Develop Yourself #265 - The 4 Databases Every Developer Should Know (Including 2 You Probably Don't)
Aug 14, 2025
Discover the vital databases every developer should master, including some you may not have heard of. Unearth the differences between relational and NoSQL databases and learn how to choose the right tool for your projects. Explore the significance of search index and vector databases, particularly in AI applications. Gain insights into how these technologies can enhance your data management and responsiveness in future developments.
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Databases Define App Behavior
- A database is a structured way to store and retrieve data quickly and predictably.
- The choice of database affects performance, scalability, cost, and developer sanity.
Startup Regret From Choosing MongoDB
- Brian recounts startups that chose MongoDB for speed and later struggled with messy queries and migrations.
- He warns that unwinding a wrong database choice gets extremely difficult as a project grows.
Default To Relational For Structured Data
- Use relational databases when data has clear structure and relationships like users, orders, and products.
- Default to SQL for structured data, relationships, and transactional integrity whenever possible.