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Top Mobile App Databases in 2021

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Gabriel Ries
Top Mobile App Databases in 2021

An ideal database is a must for the successful development of mobile applications. You can quickly save, process, and deliver information. Also, keeps the data and information secured.

What is a Database?

A database is a place to store and organize all the data for a mobile application. But, How to choose the best database for mobile apps in 2021?

Many choices are available for databases. Whether for a new mobile app or to add more features to the existing app. Hence, in this blog, we have listed the top mobile app databases in 2021 to choose from. But, first look at some considerations while choosing the right database for a mobile app.

 Things to consider when choosing the right database for a mobile app in 2021

  • Data Type
  • Structure of Data
  • Size of Data
  • Speed & scalability
  • Security & Integration
  • Multiple-platform support

Top mobile app databases in 2021

OracleDB

Oracle DB is the leading commercial RDBMS developed in 1977. It secures top position in the DB-Engines Ranking. Also, one of the top choices for the best mobile app database in 2021. 

 Top Features:

  • Handles large scope of data well. Oracle is now bringing all its products and services to the cloud. Thus, this will enhance flexibility.
  • Supports Structured Data (SQL), Spatial Data, Semi-Structured Data (JSON, XML), and RDF Store.
  • Efficiently manages memory, complex operations, and third-party tools.
  • It offers Blockchain Tables and an ACID transactional guarantee.

Demerits:

  • OracleDB is one of the most expensive databases.
  • Complicated documentation and lacks friendly guides.
  • Customer support is not powerful.

If you have a good budget, use Oracle. Also, your requirements are following.

  • A multi-model database
  • blockchain table
  • ACID transaction guarantee, and
  • Data Warehousing.

MongoDB

The most popular NoSQL database among developers. Released in 2009, MongoDB is a document-based distributed database. It is best to handle massive unstructured data sets.

 MongoDB ranks top as the most wanted language by developers. A survey by Stack Overflow reveals.

Top Features:

  • Stores data in rich JSON-like documents. Besides, supports arrays and nested objects and as dynamic schemas.
  • Rich and expressive query language and support for aggregations. Also supports geo-based search, graph search, Map-Reduce query, and text search.
  • Multi-document distributed ACID transactions. Also, supports two relationships: reference and embedded.
  • Auto-Sharding for automation of horizontal scaling and replication.
  • MongoDB Atlas is a multi-cloud database service. It is available on AWS, Google Cloud, and Azure.
  • Also, Atlas Search, and Atlas Data Lake services.

Demerits:

MongoDB has some shortcomings, too. Like it consumes more memory and has no foreign key constraints.

Use MongoDB when you have schema-less, semi-structured data. MongoDB is perfect for faster application development. Hence, you can consider it for your mobile app development in 2021.

MySQL

Ranks top on the Stack Overflow Developer Survey 2020 for the most popular database. While it ranks second in the DB-Engines ranking score. Created in 1995, MySQL is the most widely used open-source RDBMS.

Uber, Facebook, Tesla, YouTube, Netflix, Spotify, Airbnb, etc. use MySQL.

Top Features:

  • Two licensing models.Free Community Server and proprietary Enterprise Server.
  • ACID transactional guarantee with InnoDB engine.
  • Horizontal Sharding via Shared Nothing MySQL Cluster. Also, serves multi-master ACID transactions.
  • Supports structured data (SQL) and semi-structured data (JSON).

Demerits:

Takes a long time to create incremental backups. While MySQL contemporaries do this automatically.

PostgreSQL

PostgreSQL is one of the top databases for mobile apps in 2021. It is also the second most popular database in 2020.

PostgreSQL is an object-relational database. It represents all data as objects instead of columns and rows. Besides, the database is highly scalable and can handle terabytes of data. Also, Postgre is completely free.

Top Features:

  • ACID transactional guarantee.
  • Citus Data is a PostgreSQL extension. It offers a transactional guarantee and horizontal scaling.
  • Advance indexes like partial Index, Bloom Filters. Also, Non-blocking Index creation.
  • Supports Structured Data (SQL), Key-Value, Semi-Structured Data (JSON, XML), Spatial Data.

Use PostgreSQL when your requirements are:

  • Distributed SQL
  • Handle millions of transactions globally
  • Want a sophisticated query planner.
  • High-Reliability and Disaster Recovery

Microsoft SQL Server

Developed by Microsoft, SQL Server is one of the best mobile app databases in 2021. The Relational DBMS supports server-side scripting. Also, offer an ACID transactional guarantee.

Top Features:

  • Supports languages like DOT NET, R, Python, and Java.
  • Supports Structured Data (SQL), Semi-Structured Data (JSON), and Spatial Data.
  • Easily move from On-premise SQL Server to Cloud with Azure tooling.

Demerits:

  • Costly Editions
  • Complex performance features

Redis

Redis is an open-source in-memory key-value store. It is paired as a caching layer with different databases. Also used for microservices. Redis is one of the top databases for mobile apps in 2021 for its high speed. Besides, it is easy to configure and use.

Top Features:

  • Distributed in-memory NoSQL data structure.
  • Used as a distributed cache or as a message broker.
  • Highly scalable.
  • Built-in replication, automatic failover.
  • Sharding via Redis Cluster.

Demerits:

  • Lacks built-in encryption
  • Stores only five data types: lists, sets, strings, sorted sets, and hashes.

Elasticsearch

An open-source document-based database. It is built on Lucene, a Java software library. Elasticsearch is a full-text search engine, too. It enables fast search and data retrieval. It stores and indexes all data types. Like text, numeric, geospatial, structured, and unstructured.

Popular for high scalability, it is one of the best databases for mobile apps in 2021. Major companies like Netflix, Stack Overflow, LinkedIn, Medium use Elasticsearch.

Top Features:

  • Horizontal scaling through automatic sharding.  
  • Highly Scalable.
  • Offers REST API.
  • Supports structured and schema-less data (JSON).
  • Automatic replication and Cross-cluster Replication (CCR).

The database stores data as hot, warm, or cold depending on the number of requests. Further, Hot nodes use newer, faster solid-state drives (SSDs). While warm and cold nodes use traditional hard disk drives (HDDs).

Demerits:

  • Doesn't have multi-language support. 
  • Need SSDs which are expensive.

Verdict: Which is the best database for mobile apps in 2021

Choosing the right database for your Mobile app developement project depends on many factors. Like types of data, integrations with other tools, speed, and scalability.

As open-source and free databases, MySQL and PostgreSQL secure top positions. Whereas, Oracle leads as the best commercial database. While MongoDB, Redis, and Elasticsearch are leaders among the NoSQL databases. However, the list is non-inclusive.

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