Choosing the Right Database for Your Chat Application

Introduction
When developing a chat application, selecting the right database is crucial for ensuring performance,
scalability, and the ability to handle real-time data efficiently. This presentation will guide you through
the top database choices, their pricing, and the reasons why they might be the best fit for your project.

MongoDB
Overview
· Type: Non-relational, document-oriented database.
· Best For: High volume, unstructured data, and real-time analytics.

Pricing
· Free Tier: Shared clusters on MongoDB Atlas.
· Paid Plans: Starting at $57/month for dedicated clusters.

Advantages
· Dynamic Schema: Facilitates easy iterations on the database structure.

· Scalability: Auto-sharding feature supports horizontal scaling.

· Real-Time Processing: Capable of handling live data streams effectively.

Cassandra
Overview
· Type: Non-relational, distributed database.
· Best For: Large-scale applications requiring fast reads and writes.

Pricing
· Open-Source: Free to use.
· Managed Services: DataStax Astra offers free tiers, with paid plans
from $59/month.

Advantages
· Fault Tolerance: Minimal downtime with no single point of failure.
· Distributed Architecture: Ensures performance across multiple data centers.
· Scalability: Excellently handles large amounts of data.

MySQL
Overview
· Type: Relational database management system (RDBMS).
 · Best For: Structured data models with transactional needs.

Pricing
· Open-Source: Free under GNU GPL.
· Commercial Licenses: Starting at $2,000/year from Oracle.

Advantages
· ACID Compliance: Ensures reliable transactions.
· Community Support: Extensive tools and resources available.
· Data Integrity: Maintains structured data effectively.

PostgreSQL
Overview
· Type: Advanced RDBMS.
· Best For: Complex queries and relationship management.

Pricing
· Open-Source: Completely free.
· Professional Support: Available from third-party vendors.

Advantages
· Advanced Features: Supports full-text search and JSON.
· Concurrency: Handles simultaneous user interactions smoothly.
· Flexibility: Accommodates complex data types and relationships.