Cassandra is a NoSQL database. The main objective of a NoSQL database is to have the following three things:

  • Simplicity of design
  • Horizontal scaling
  • High availability

NoSQL is faster than relational database management system because it uses different data structure compared to relational databases.

Cassandra data structure is faster than relational database structure. NoSQL databases are mainly used in Bigdata and real time web applications.

Differeneces between NoSQL and Relational database

NoSQL Database

Relational Database

NoSQL Database supports a very simple query language.

Relational Database supports a powerful query language.

NoSQL Database has no fixed schema.

Relational Database has a fixed schema.

NoSQL Database is only eventually consistent.

Relational Database follows acid properties. (Atomicity, Consistency, Isolation, and Durability)

NoSQL databases don't support transactions (support only simple transactions).

Relational Database supports transactions (also complex transactions with joins).

NoSQL Database is used to handle data coming in high velocity.

Relational Database is used to handle data coming in low velocity.

The NoSQL?s data arrive from many locations.

Data in relational database arrive from one or few locations.

NoSQL database can manage structured, unstructured and semi-structured data.

Relational database manages only structured data.

NoSQL databases have no single point of failure.

Relational databases have a single point of failure with failover.

NoSQL databases can handle big data or data in a very high volume .

NoSQL databases are used to handle moderate volume of data.

NoSQL has decentralized structure.

Relational database has centralized structure.

NoSQL database gives both read and write scalability.

Relational database gives read scalability only.

NoSQL database is deployed in horizontal fashion.

Relation database is deployed in vertical fashion.