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CouchDB

HTTP + JSON document database with Map Reduce views and peer-based replication.

CouchDB

CouchDB Reviews and Details

This page is designed to help you find out whether CouchDB is good and if it is the right choice for you.

Screenshots and images

  • CouchDB Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-10-14

Features & Specs

  1. Schema-Free Design

    CouchDB is a NoSQL database with a schema-free design, which means it allows for flexible and dynamic data modeling. This is particularly useful for applications where requirements may change over time or where data is highly variable.

  2. Replication

    CouchDB provides robust replication capabilities that enable data to be synchronized across multiple servers. This is useful for scalability, high availability, and disaster recovery.

  3. RESTful HTTP API

    CouchDB uses a RESTful HTTP API for database operations, making it easy to interact with using standard web technologies. This simplifies development and integration with web applications.

  4. Multi-Master Replication

    CouchDB supports multi-master replication, allowing for concurrent writes on different nodes without conflict. This feature is valuable for distributed systems and offline-first applications.

  5. Eventual Consistency

    CouchDB ensures eventual consistency, which allows the database to be highly available and partition tolerant. This is beneficial for applications that need to remain operational even under network partitions.

  6. MapReduce Queries

    CouchDB supports MapReduce functions for creating views and indexes, enabling powerful data querying and aggregation. This makes it easier to perform complex data analysis within the database.

  7. Built-in Administration Interface

    CouchDB comes with a built-in web-based administration interface called Fauxton, making it easy to manage databases, documents, and replication.

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Social recommendations and mentions

We have tracked the following product recommendations or mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you see what people think about CouchDB and what they use it for.
  • Local-first software: You own your data, in spite of the cloud
    CouchDB on the serer and PouchDB on the client was an attempt at making such an environment: - https://couchdb.apache.org/ - https://pouchdb.com/ Also some more pondering on local-first application development from a "few" (~10) years back can be found here: https://unhosted.org/. - Source: Hacker News / 15 days ago
  • Sync Engines Are the Future
    The author would be excited to learn that CouchDB solves this problem since 20 years. The use case the article describes is exactly the idea behind CouchDB: a database that is at the same time the server, and that's made to be synced with the client. You can even put your frontend code into it and it will happily serve it (aka CouchApp). https://couchdb.apache.org. - Source: Hacker News / 4 months ago
  • Sync Engines Are the Future
    That was my first thought! https://couchdb.apache.org/ is pretty good though is it still the incremental views with JS? - Source: Hacker News / 4 months ago
  • CouchDB: Offline-first with multi-master synchronization using Docker and Docker-compose
    In this post, I'll show how to simulate a multi-master synchronization with Apache CouchDB considering an off-line scenario. To reach this goal, I'll use Docker and Docker compose. - Source: dev.to / 9 months ago
  • MongoDB takes a swing at PostgreSQL after claiming wins against rival
    If you like the document db idea there are a lot of choices, especially https://arangodb.com/ which I think gets little attention because people who use it see it as a secret weapon. Too bad about the license though. Also https://couchdb.apache.org/ and https://developer.marklogic.com/. - Source: Hacker News / 11 months ago
  • List of 45 databases in the world
    CouchDB — Database that uses JSON to store data and JavaScript for MapReduce queries. - Source: dev.to / about 1 year ago
  • Which Database is Perfect for You? A Comprehensive Guide to MySQL, PostgreSQL, NoSQL, and More
    CouchDB is a NoSQL database that stores data in JSON and uses JavaScript as the query language. It prioritizes easy replication and availability for distributed databases. - Source: dev.to / about 1 year ago
  • What Happens When You Put a Database in the Browser?
    Another interesting option is PouchDB[0], which is a Javascript implementation of the CouchDB[1] synchronization API. It allows you to acheive eventual consistency between a client with intermittent connectivity, and a backend database. [0] https://pouchdb.com/ [1] https://couchdb.apache.org/. - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
  • Creating an offline node.js app, but what can I use as a database?
    CouchDB is a json based database for simple projects. The fork pouchdb offers lots of support for offline. Source: about 2 years ago
  • How to run WebAssembly from your Rust Program
    Apache CouchDB belongs to the family of NoSQL databases. It is a document store with a strong focus on Replication and reliability. One of the most significant differences Between CouchDB and a relational database (besides the absence of tables And schemas) is how you query data. Relational databases allow their Users to execute arbitrary and dynamic queries via SQL. Each SQL query may look Completely... - Source: dev.to / over 2 years ago
  • Help need for Third Year Computer Science Project which is a dating website.
    For non-SQL-based databases, consider MongoDB, or CouchDB, which are very easy to get started with. Source: almost 3 years ago
  • How would you implement online offline db sync?
    You can implement the sync algorithm from scratch, or you can use tools like CouchDB and turtleDB to help you. Source: about 3 years ago
  • Alternative to MongoDB?
    I've heard people recommend CouchDB, no personal expience though. It is also nosql, somewhat similar to mongo. The selling feature is easy scalability. I'm planning to take a weekend to try it out myself. Https://couchdb.apache.org/. Source: about 3 years ago
  • Ask HN: How do you handle global web scale?
    If you can change your DB, then Apache CouchDB[0] handles this out of the box. Otherwise consider something like Apace ShardingSphere[1]. [0] https://couchdb.apache.org [1] https://shardingsphere.apache.org. - Source: Hacker News / over 3 years ago
  • CouchDB clients in Javascript
    Apache CouchDB is an open source NoSQL document database that collects and stores data in JSON-based document formats. Since CouchDB makes use of HTTP protocol, therefore we can use any HTTP client to connect with CouchDB. However, there are some existing CouchDB client libraries that are very easy and convenience to use. Below I would like to share 3 libraries that I frequent use to connect with CouchDB. - Source: dev.to / over 3 years ago
  • Jinja2 not formatting my text correctly. Any advice?
    ListItem(name='CouchDB', website='https://couchdb.apache.org/', category='NoSQL :: Document Databases', short_description='Apache CouchDB is an open-source document-oriented NoSQL database, implemented in Erlang. CouchDB uses multiple formats and protocols to store, transfer, and process its data. It uses JSON to store data, JavaScript as its query language using MapReduce, and HTTP for an API.'). Source: over 3 years ago
  • Query in Apache CouchDB: Views
    A short introduce about CouchDB first for those who don't know. Apache CouchDB is an open-source document-oriented NoSQL database, implemented in Erlang. It is very easy to use as CouchDB makes use of the ubiquitous HTTP protocol and JSON data format. Do check out their Official Website for more detail. 😉. - Source: dev.to / over 3 years ago
  • Challenges with Offline First Framework
    So I am building a project using databases called CouchDB & PouchDB. I have talked them first here where PouchDB was giving me trouble, it turned out be me not knowing my javascript good enough. 🙈. - Source: dev.to / about 4 years ago
  • PouchDB.find is not a function
    I am using CouchDB & PouchDB for one of my projects. - Source: dev.to / about 4 years ago
  • Self hosted firebase 🔥 real time database.
    Maybe you can try CouchDB alongside with PouchDB integration on client side? This page contains a comparison between them. Source: about 4 years ago
  • [Need Advice] Making a quiz maker website
    Personally, I prefer using CouchDB for server side storage and PouchDB.js on the client side because you can start making your app and storing your data with just PouchDB and run it entirely in your web browser. Source: about 4 years ago

Summary of the public mentions of CouchDB

Apache CouchDB has garnered a diverse range of opinions across the developer community, reflecting both its strengths and the challenges that users encounter. As a multipurpose open-source NoSQL database, CouchDB stands out primarily for its unique approach to data storage and synchronization, which is particularly beneficial for building offline-first applications.

Strengths

Developer-Friendly and Cross-Platform Support
CouchDB is praised for its developer-friendly API and rich web administration dashboard. It simplifies CRUD operations, user authentication, and supports straightforward document management and file attachments. Developers find its configuration process to be remarkably simple, providing seamless cross-platform support across Windows, Linux, macOS, and even resource-limited Linux servers. These attributes make CouchDB an appealing choice for developers of various expertise levels.

Offline-First Capabilities
One of CouchDB's defining features is its robust support for building offline-first applications, particularly when combined with PouchDB, a JavaScript implementation of CouchDB’s synchronization API. This capability allows developers to create applications that maintain functionality and data integrity even in environments with intermittent connectivity. The replication protocol from CouchDB is a significant advantage for projects requiring distributed databases, ensuring data consistency and reliability across multiple platforms, including mobile devices.

Integration and Ecosystem
CouchDB's JSON-based data storage and HTTP protocol usage facilitate integration with various client-side applications. Its compatibility with popular technologies in the JavaScript ecosystem allows straightforward use within web browsers, aligning with modern development workflows. Additionally, CouchDB’s ability to serve as both a database and server, and even host frontend code via CouchApps, adds to its versatility.

Challenges and Considerations

Community and Adoption
Despite its strengths, CouchDB faces competitive pressure from NoSQL counterparts like MongoDB and modern graph databases such as ArangoDB. The community often discusses its lesser visibility compared to more widely adopted alternatives. Nevertheless, CouchDB maintains a dedicated user base that appreciates its unique synchronization features, even though this may require a more nuanced understanding of JavaScript and offline-first development paradigms.

Complex Queries and Indexing
While CouchDB is favored for certain use cases, developers sometimes highlight its limitations in handling complex queries. Unlike relational databases with dynamic SQL query capabilities, CouchDB's design focuses on fixed MapReduce views for querying, which may not be intuitive for all developers, particularly those used to the flexibility of SQL. Furthermore, although index creation is optional, optimizing performance may require additional efforts which might pose a learning curve.

Product Confusion
Occasionally, CouchDB suffers from product misidentification, being inadvertently compared or mixed up with Couchbase, a distinct database that, despite sharing historical roots, functions differently. This confusion underscores a need for clearer distinctions within forums and discussions.

Conclusion

Overall, CouchDB holds a valuable place in the database ecosystem, particularly for scenarios prioritizing offline capabilities and easy replication. Its integration with PouchDB enhances its appeal for developers focusing on robust synchronization. However, careful consideration of its querying model and relative community size is advisable for those evaluating it against other NoSQL offerings. As the landscape of databases continues to evolve, CouchDB remains a notable option for particular development environments and needs.

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Is CouchDB good? This is an informative page that will help you find out. Moreover, you can review and discuss CouchDB here. The primary details have not been verified within the last quarter, and they might be outdated. If you think we are missing something, please use the means on this page to comment or suggest changes. All reviews and comments are highly encouranged and appreciated as they help everyone in the community to make an informed choice. Please always be kind and objective when evaluating a product and sharing your opinion.