Schemaless vs Schemaful Databases

This cluster centers on debates about the pros and cons of schemaless databases compared to traditional relational databases with explicit schemas, including challenges with schema evolution, implicit schemas, data consistency, and NoSQL advantages.

📉 Falling 0.5x Databases
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#8726
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Keywords

MS OO DB DBMS SQL winespectator.com i.e PG YAGNI RDBMS schema schemas data database tables db databases relational columns data model

Sample Comments

StavrosK Nov 28, 2017 View on HN

How do schemaless databases make this easier?

iamwil Nov 1, 2023 View on HN

Same. Why is having the schema in the db a bad idea?

withinboredom Oct 26, 2023 View on HN

Who said anything about db schemas? What are you talking about?

skrowl Jul 7, 2015 View on HN

Schemas in my schema-less database? Why not just use MS SQL / Oracle / MySQL?

procaryote Jul 14, 2025 View on HN

Why wouldn't you want your database schema to match how you use it?

sureaboutthis Jun 11, 2018 View on HN

If Schemaless worked on PG, would this article have seen the light of day?

dillondoyle Apr 14, 2021 View on HN

Better yet in a database with consistent schema

ris Jan 14, 2015 View on HN

"I don't want to create a schema..."You are always going to end up creating a schema, whether it's explicit in your tables or implicit within your code. Otherwise you end up with completely heterogeneous data which is impossible to query in any useful way.This is a red herring.

woodrowbarlow Jun 30, 2017 View on HN

not all databases require rigid schemas. a filesystem, for instance.

fedd Feb 18, 2011 View on HN

thanks!i am collecting stories about problems with altering schemas while prototyping and while in production (losing data, manual altering tables, relational dbs restrictions, many-to-many relationships and other complexities) but it seems it all went smoothly with the tools you had.