NoSQL: Databases that don’t use traditional tables with fixed columns. They store data as documents, key-value pairs or graphs instead. MongoDB is a common example.
Example
A chat app stores messages as flexible documents in a NoSQL database.
Why NoSQL matters for IT interns
It explains why some projects don’t use SQL tables, and when each type of database fits better.
Where you will hear it
You will hear this term in data, analytics, and AI work, and increasingly in general software teams too. If someone uses it and you are not sure what they mean in your project, it is completely fine to ask; every team uses terms a little differently.
Related terms
- Large Language Model (LLM): A type of generative AI model trained on huge amounts of text that can understand and write human-like…
- Machine Learning (ML): A way of building software that learns patterns from examples in data, instead of only following rules a…
- Model: In machine learning, the result of training on data — something that takes new input and produces a…
- Prediction: The output a model gives for new input — a value, a category or a probability.
- Prompt: The instruction or input you give a generative AI tool to get a response.
- SQL: Structured Query Language: the standard language for reading and changing data in relational databases.
Previous term: Non-Functional Requirement | Next term: Notice Period
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
What is NoSQL?
Databases that don’t use traditional tables with fixed columns. They store data as documents, key-value pairs or graphs instead. MongoDB is a common example.
What is an example of NoSQL?
A chat app stores messages as flexible documents in a NoSQL database.
Why does NoSQL matter for IT interns?
It explains why some projects don’t use SQL tables, and when each type of database fits better.
Explore more internship terms
The IT Internship Glossary explains 199 terms you will hear before and during your internship, with simple definitions and real examples.
Browse all 199 terms
About the author
Dhaivat has 16+ years of experience in the IT industry, working on AI and cloud technologies, project delivery, and engineering leadership. He has interviewed and mentored many interns, wrote The Lost Intern, and runs the non-commercial Career Impact Initiative, mentoring students for free.