This week, Couchbase announced the availability of N1QL (pronounced “nickel”), a “breakthrough query language” that delivers the capabilities of SQL alongside the Couchbase NoSQL database platform. Developers can use N1QL to perform queries on data stored and aggregated within the Couchbase NoSQL platform to facilitate the development of data-driven applications that leverage the data modeling and massive scalability of Couchbase’s JSON-based NoSQL platform. Given the ability of NoSQL to respond to the contemporary need to store massive amounts of data that defies classification into rigidly defined schemas, N1QL gives developers enhanced flexibility regarding the querying of semi-structured and unstructured data. Moreover, N1QL enables organizations to take advantage of the highly mature skillsets of SQL-trained developers in addition to the venerable ecosystem of SQL-compliant tools and products. N1QL conforms to a specification developed by UCSD for a SQL-compliant language that can perform queries on semi-structured data. As such, N1QL stands poised to accelerate NoSQL adoption by empowering developers to bring the familiarity of JOINS and NEST operators to JSON documents. N1QL takes its place within an emerging landscape of SQL-compliant platforms for NoSQL that affirm the enduring supremacy of SQL’s querying ability as well the criticality of developing sophisticated querying functionality for JSON-based NoSQL data stores. Leading technology vendors such as Informatica, Metanautix and Tableau have partnered with Couchbase to develop connectors that take advantage of N1QL’s unique querying functionality. Meanwhile, N1QL represents a key component of what’s new in Couchbase Server 4.0.
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