Couchbase Server
Distributed JSON document database with a built-in cache, SQL++ queries, search and analytics.
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About Couchbase Server
Couchbase Server is a distributed NoSQL database that stores data as JSON documents and also works as a fast key-value store with a managed in-memory cache. You query it with SQL++, a SQL dialect for JSON, and the same cluster can run full-text search, analytics and eventing services, so some teams use it to replace a separate cache, document store and search engine. Couchbase Lite and Sync Gateway extend it to mobile and edge devices that sync with the server. It comes in two editions: a free Community Edition for non-commercial and small deployments, capped at five-node clusters and four cores per node, and a paid Enterprise Edition with cross-datacenter replication, support and hot fixes. Couchbase also sells a managed cloud version called Capella. Server runs on Linux, Windows and macOS, though macOS is meant for development. It suits teams that need low-latency reads and writes at scale and are comfortable running a clustered database.
Best for: Teams that want a document database, cache and search in one clustered, low-latency system.
Pros and cons
What works
- Built-in memory cache gives very fast key-value reads
- SQL++ lets SQL users query JSON documents
- Search, analytics and eventing run in the same cluster
- Mobile sync via Couchbase Lite and Sync Gateway
Why people leave
- Community Edition is capped at five nodes and four cores per node
- Cross-datacenter replication is Enterprise-only
- Running and tuning a multi-service cluster takes real ops work
Top Couchbase Server alternatives
See all 6- 1
MongoDB Atlas56.8The best-known JSON document database, with a bigger ecosystem and a free managed tier.
- 2
Apache Cassandra52.2Fully open-source wide-column store built for multi-datacenter writes without licence limits.
- 3
Amazon DynamoDB51.2Serverless key-value and document store on AWS with nothing to run yourself.
- 4
ScyllaDB50.3Cassandra-compatible database focused on very low latency on fewer nodes.
- 5
Azure Cosmos DB50.0Managed multi-model database on Azure with global replication built in.
Why people left Couchbase Server
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Couchbase Server: common questions
Is Couchbase Server free?
Couchbase Server has a free plan and paid plans.
Is Couchbase Server open source?
No, Couchbase Server is not open source. Open-source alternatives include Apache Cassandra.
What platforms does Couchbase Server run on?
Couchbase Server is available for Linux, Windows, macOS and Self-hosted.
What are the best alternatives to Couchbase Server?
The highest-ranked Couchbase Server alternatives right now are MongoDB Atlas, Apache Cassandra and Amazon DynamoDB. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.