[emodendroket]

I think the right way to think about NoSQL databases is you have an application where traffic is expected to be heavy enough that it's worth throwing out what SQL gives you for free and having a highly optimized solution where you deal with those problems yourself. Of course, it was a big enough trend that many people jumped on it without having a practical use for it.

Arguably psql does offer a NoSQL-like experience with JSON columns.

[roenxi]

> Arguably psql does offer a NoSQL-like experience with JSON columns.

I hope not. JSON columns purge all the good things a relational database offers and keeps the SQL. It is the worst of every option.

That really should be the opposite of the NoSQL experience. Disbarred by the fact that SQL is involved.

[zztop44]

JSON columns are very useful in some circumstances but you shouldn’t use them as a replacement for a database schema, and if I’m honest I’m yet to see anyone truly suggest that.

[sudhirj]

I use schema for everything relational, and put everything else (all the nice-to-know data) in JSONB. Works really well. Stacks like Rails lean into this with `store_accessor` which lets you designate a JSON column as storage for arbitrary data that looks and feels like a separate column.

[emodendroket]

I guess it depends what part of NoSQL you’re looking for, but if you want a bit of schemaless data it makes sense.