What is DynamoDB?
DynamoDB is a ‘not only SQL’ (NoSQL) database service introduced by Amazon back in 2012. Does it already sound complicated to you? Don’t worry, it won’t stay this way for long. We’re going to break this concept into clear parts and give enough examples to deepen your understanding.
Defining DynamoDB with Examples
In the most basic sense, DynamoDB is an online database created and implemented by Amazon. It stores information in multiple flexible formats, which makes it fall under the NoSQL category. To help you see the difference more clearly:
- SQL: Stores information in strictly logical tables that have the same structure;
- NoSQL: Offers storage in flexible tables and many other formats.
Let’s use a cafe as an example. If its management were to use an SQL database, they would be able to classify the clients’ orders in this way:
Order number + Coffee + Cheesecake.
That’s it — no deviations, no extra rows or changes in the order. This would be an inconvenient system, and the management would drive themselves wild trying to account for everything.
NoSQL database is like a breath of fresh air that introduces new possibilities for developers. With its help, the cafe’s management would be able to store their orders in a variety of ways. They could add them as
Order number + tea
Client’s name + coffee + extra sugar
And so on.
DynamoDB belongs to the latter category. Being a NoSQL system, it’s widely used by different businesses that want to have a flexible and effective database. There are no strict rules and no limits to what you can do with it.
Key Characteristics of DynamoDB
Now that you have a basic idea of what DynamoDB is, let’s consider its characteristics. After all, there are many reasons behind its popularity, and flexibility is just one of them.
- Serverless architecture. Amazon Web Services, the creator of DynamoDB that generated over 90 billion U.S. dollars in net sales revenue, handles all the infrastructure management, so there is no need for businesses to deal with any other servers;
- Fully managed system. In addition, AWS handles administrative tasks, including creating backups for all the files and implementing security mechanisms; the developers are free to focus on perfecting their applications instead of worrying about the technicalities;
- Global outreach. This database offers multi-regional support, so it’s simple to access data from all over the world;
- Low latency. Those in need of a fast database benefit from DynamoDB as it offers real-time data access: the response time is incredibly quick;
- Easy availability. There are next to no downtime risks since all the data is automatically replicated across various locations.
These are not the only top features of DynamoDB, but they are the key ones. Their availability is what makes companies of different natures and backgrounds pick it as their database of choice.
Real-World Examples of DynamoDB Use
To get an even clearer picture of DynamoDB, let’s consider the examples of its usage. Many spheres benefit from it, and yours might be one of them.
IoT Applications
In the sphere of the Internet of Things (IoS), the apps handle huge volumes of data, and they all have to be processed in real time. The functioning of infrastructure vital for our cities, fitness trackers, home gadgets, and other tools depend on it.
DynamoDB has the ability to scale all the data instantly. It differentiates between new and old facts, so if some chunk of info becomes outdated, the system singles it out and deletes it.
As an example, modern smart homes are equipped with this type of database. They send various kinds of data to it, including activity logs, temperature updates, etc. At some point, no one is going to need this info any longer, and the house owner won’t have to delete it on their own.
Financial Services
Banks and other financial institutions also work with a ton of data. More than that, it’s their job to keep this data safe and limit access to it.
Think about the financial apps you know of. They include loan management, live trading, standard banking apps, etc. Since DynamoDB supports global coverage, banks can use it for local and international clients alike.
Imagine wanting to pay for something through your online banking app. How do you do it? It’s enough to indicate the receiver’s account, the sum you want to give them, and send it their way. In most cases, it doesn’t take more than a couple of seconds.
Such speed and efficiency are the result of DynamoDB’s quick work. Its ability to process data in an instant removes the need to wait for hours before your payment goes through and your account begins to reflect your new balance.
Gaming
If you ever tried playing online games, you know how much crucial data they store. They need to reflect the players’ constantly changing progress correctly. The complex architecture makes online games hard to maintain properly, which is why the introduction of DynamoDB became a revelation in this field.
When millions of players are online at the same time, their stats, skins, settings, and preferences keep changing every second. The automatic scaling system of DynamoDB processes everything in record time. This gives you a chance to play without facing lags, glitches, or other annoying technical issues.
Social Media
Social media platforms are another field where the volume of data is climbing with increasing speed. Think about yourself: how often do you make Facebook, X, or Instagram posts? Even something as simple as ‘liking’ a picture leaves an online trail, and the system has to process all these changes right away or face a mounting crowd of angry users whose stats aren’t updating on time.
DynamoDB not only handles but also organizes all the information in a comprehensive and efficient way. Most importantly, it creates copies across the regions. This means that even if a crash or a cyberattack happens, no data will be lost.
Content Management
Have you ever wondered how content managers do their work? They need to interact with countless types of data, from uploading and sorting images to dealing with text and adding videos in correct categories. Without DynamoDB, this would be a complete nightmare.
Fortunately, with its introduction, things began to look up. DynamoDB keeps track of what users complete with which actions. It’s also essential in video streaming services, which can recommend shows and movies based on what a specific person has watched before.
E-Commerce
If you’ve understood the principle of DynamoDB’s work, you can probably figure out why e-commerce stores benefit from it. They need to accept clients’ orders from all over the world; there are multiple product categories, descriptions, and reviews, and the information has to be updated in real time.
While DynamoDB is not the only database that can help handle such volumes of tasks, it offers amazing speed even during the hottest periods. Holidays, sales, Black Friday, and other similar events end up attracting an even bigger crowd than usual. Smooth work is essential during such periods, and DynamoDB makes it happen.
DynamoDB’s Capabilities
Now, let’s talk about the capabilities of DynamoDB in more detail. You’ll see how it functions from the inside. Here is what it offers:
- On-demand capacity modes. If you have no idea how many users might use your app, DynamoDB will do its own calculations, adjusting the power accordingly; you won’t have to pay for more than you actually use;
- Provisioned capacity modes. This mode means that you can tell your system how many users you’re expecting to host, such as 10K in an hour, and it reserves a corresponding slice of power for you;
- Streams for change data capture (CDC). This capability is what guarantees that DynamoDB updates all the info right on time as soon as it changes: your app gets a notification and reacts accordingly;
- Time-to-Live (TTL). The feature with such a funny name ensures that the old, unnecessary data is deleted after some time passes; no extra effort to clean the database up is needed;
- DynamoDB Accelerator (DAX). This feature saves all the info that people request most often, so when someone asks for it again, the system pulls it up at a breakneck speed;
- Automatic backups. DynamoDB makes copies of people’s data every single second; even if something unpredictable happens, these copies will be available, so no important or unimportant data will be lost.
These capabilities will help ensure the flawless work of your app.
Limitations of DynamoDB
So far, everything about DynamoDB appeared to be amazing, but is it truly so? After all, no system is perfect, and this database also has limitations. Let’s review a couple of the main ones.
Partition Throughput Limits
DynamoDB stores all the info it receives in partitions. These are similar to small storage boxes that open up to absorb the data and get safely shut once everything is in.
Each of these boxes can function at a certain speed. In rare cases, if the maximum limit is broken, an overload might happen: one of the partitions becomes overwhelmed, and it might affect the work of DynamoDB as a whole. It will start rejecting some of the requests, damaging the user experience.
As long as all the data is spread across all the partitions evenly, though, no issues will occur.
Query Constraints
Don’t be fooled by the seeming almightiness of DynamoDB. It can cover vast volumes of info, but it’s not Google — you can’t use it to find everything under the sun. The only available data is the one that your primary keys or indexes cover. You need to set them up in advance for everything to work as it should.
Size Limit
The direct storage capacities of DynamoDB aren’t infinite. Every item can have a size of up to 400 KB — that’s it. If you want to upload a lengthy video or a file with instructions or descriptions, you’ll need to use a medium like Amazon S3 first. After that, just include a link to the file in DynamoDB.
Consistency Models
While this is not a drawback per se, it’s a complication that often confuses people. DynamoDB has two models: one of them offers eventual consistency, while another one deals with strong consistency.
- Eventual consistency: This is the default option; while all the data is updated quickly, it might still take a little while to upload, so people won’t be able to see the changes in an instant;
- Strong consistency: In this case, the data will be updated fully on time, without even the shortest delay — however, this model might reduce the reading speed.
How to avoid the confusion? You just need to use eventual consistency for less important stuff, such as blog posts. Nothing critical will happen if you have to wait for a few seconds to see the changed number of likes on your latest pic.
At the same time, use strong consistency for more crucial things, such as bank accounts. People expect to see updates on their balances right away.
The Price of DynamoDB
The obvious question you might have is, how much does DynamoDB cost? As we mentioned before, you only pay for the capacities you use. Amazon offers a free tier, allowing you to store 25GB of information without paying a cent.
If you consider buying DynamoDB, though, your final rate will depend on the following factors.
Chosen Capacity
We’ve discussed provisioned and on-demand capacity before. Based on what type you choose, the price will change.
Provisioned capacity is cheaper, as you clearly indicate how many users you expect, and Amazon charges you for this number. However, if more people pay your app a visit, all the extra ones will have to wait, which might scare them away.
On-demand capacity is more expensive as Amazon covers all of your traffic, no matter how much it fluctuates.
Data Storage
For obvious reasons, the more data you store, the more you have to pay for it. This principle isn’t different at DynamoDB. The price is pretty low, though — Amazon charges just $0.25 per GB monthly.
Backup Copies
If you decide to restore one of the backup copies, you’ll have to pay extra for this service.
Streams
Streams allow tracking changes right as they happen. This makes syncing data really simple, but the more often you use this feature, the more it’ll cost.
How to Get Started with Amazon DynamoDB
If you want to start using DynamoDB, you’ll need to follow these steps.
- Create an AWS account. Create an account on aws.amazon.com, sign in to the AWS management console, and find DynamoDB there;
- Create your table. Assign a unique name to your table and choose the primary keys that describe it best;
- Add data. Add other items through the AWS Console — you’ll need one of the basic programming languages for it;
- Monitor your database. Use IAM Roles to determine who is going to have access to your table; make sure you have set up a recovery point.
This is it; you won’t need to do anything else.
Explore the Possibilities of DynamoDB
DynamoDB is a powerful NoSQL database that can help you handle your data easily and faster than ever before. Sure, it has its complications, but they are minor compared to all the benefits. Start with a free version and decide if it’s something that works for you.
