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We've covered several programming languages now, but we haven't really gotten into database development yet. Although NoSQL is hot, SQL (structured query language) isn't going away. Different databases (such as Oracle, MySQL and PostgreSQL) use different variations, but the idea is to have a unified system so that a developer can move from database to database with a minimum of relearning.

If you're not quite sure yet what a relational database is or why someone would use one, check out our guide to database terminology. Otherwise, let's dive into some books for beginners, and one for experienced database developers.

When we talk about the benefits of using a non-relational database management system, often referred to as a NoSQL database, we sometimes lose track of what a traditional database is still good for (for some background on what a relational database is, see our guide to data terminology).

In a blog post at DBMS2, database veteran Curt Monash explains when it's still best to use a relational database.

It's hard to keep track of all the database related terms you hear these days. What constitutes "big data"? What is NoSQL, and why are your developers so interested in it? And now "NewSQL"? Where do in-memory databases fit into all of this? In this series, we'll untangle the mess of terms and tell you what you need to know.

The first part covers data, big data, databases, relational databases and other foundational issues. In part two we'll talk about data warehouses, ACID compliance and more. In part three, we'll cover non-relational databases, NoSQL and related concepts.

Because Twitter is getting more popular, every glitch in the service is now felt more acutely. Going without Twitter for many people is even harder than going without email, and so outages lead to complaints. Complaints pile up and become debates, asking questions like: should Twitter be converted into a protocol and become decentralized? Is that the way to scale Twitter and make it more reliable? If not, how can that goal be accomplished?