Couchbase
What it is: Distributed NoSQL database combining key-value, document, and full-text search. Built for interactive applications with sub-millisecond latency.
What It Does Best
Memory-first architecture. Managed cache layer built-in. Automatic data tiering between memory and storage.
Mobile sync. Couchbase Lite for offline-first mobile apps. Bi-directional sync when online.
SQL-like queries. N1QL query language. JSON documents with familiar SQL syntax.
Key Features
Integrated caching: Built-in managed cache, no separate Redis needed
N1QL: SQL for JSON with JOINs, subqueries, and aggregations
Full-text search: Built-in search without Elasticsearch
Mobile sync gateway: Offline-first apps with automatic sync
ACID transactions: Multi-document transactions for consistency
Pricing
Community Edition: Free, limited features (no mobile sync, single node)
Enterprise: Contact sales (typically $3,000+/node/year)
Capella (cloud): ~$0.25/hour per node, usage-based
Serverless: Pay-per-use option available on Capella
When to Use It
✅ Mobile and edge applications
✅ Session stores and caching with persistence
✅ Real-time gaming and collaboration apps
✅ Offline-first applications
✅ Applications needing both cache and database
When NOT to Use It
❌ Simple CRUD apps (overkill)
❌ Complex analytics (use data warehouse)
❌ Strong relational data requirements
❌ Budget-constrained (enterprise can be expensive)
❌ Small team without NoSQL experience
Common Use Cases
Mobile apps: Offline-first mobile applications with sync
Gaming: Player profiles, session state, real-time multiplayer
Session management: High-performance session stores with persistence
Edge computing: Data at the edge with sync to cloud
User profiles: Personalization data with sub-millisecond access
Couchbase vs Alternatives
vs MongoDB: Couchbase better for caching and mobile, MongoDB larger ecosystem
vs Redis: Couchbase adds persistence and queries, Redis simpler and faster
vs DynamoDB: Couchbase better for mobile sync, DynamoDB fully managed
Unique Strengths
Mobile-to-cloud sync: Best-in-class offline mobile support
Built-in caching: Eliminate separate cache layer
Memory-first: Automatic tiering for optimal performance
Multi-model: Key-value, document, full-text in one database
Bottom line: Best choice for mobile-first apps needing offline capabilities. Built-in caching makes it fast. Less popular than MongoDB, but mobile sync is killer feature. Consider for edge computing scenarios.