Mobile app usage worldwide has seen exponential growth in users and usage time. TechCrunch reported that mobile users now spend roughly one-third of their waking hours — four or five hours — using smartphone apps daily, according to Business of Apps reports. When it comes to apps themselves, there is a vast selection available — Google Play currently boasts around 2.8 million apps and games, while Apple App Store boasts nearly five million.
As more apps emerge and users spend longer engaging with them, users have greater discretion in choosing which ones to engage with. According to a research study by mobile marketing analytics vendor AppsFlyer, nearly one out of two apps uninstall within 30 days, and another study by Andrew Chen revealed that losing up to 80% of mobile users was “normal” even for highly popular apps.
At the core of app abandonment lies poor user experiences: slowness and unreliability are often key contributors. A recent report from Think Storage Now noted that 70% of mobile app users will abandon an application that takes too long to load, while an older yet frequently referenced Compuware study reported that 84% would give up after just two failed apps.
What Is a Database?
A database is a systematic collection of information. The primary function of a database is to efficiently store, organize and access large amounts of information in various ways for its users – for app development; this means storing all the code, user data, and any other relevant materials securely within one place.
Developers use SQL (Structured Query Language) to organize app databases. This programming language makes it simple for app developers to access, manage, modify, update, control, and organize large amounts of data quickly and efficiently. Dating back to the 1970s, it remains one of the primary languages utilized today for app databases.
Databases are stored electronically on desktop or laptop computers and managed, edited, and updated using database management systems (DBMS). All three pieces come together to form what we refer to as a “database system” or put “database.”
What Is the Need For Mobile App Databases?
Besides being essential components of mobile apps, databases have other uses too.
An everyday use for databases is to store large amounts of information more effectively, but they also have other applications. Let’s discuss more here.
Data Security
Mobile app databases ensure unmatched data security from hacking and theft, with various user logins for accessing the DBMS, which every time new users need permission from existing ones to gain entry to it.
Pointing Out Errors
A comprehensive error reporting mechanism also exists to detect potential issues within databases. Database management systems (DBMS) software systems such as Access flag any possible failures immediately for correction. DBMSs also come equipped with error-checking features to pinpoint errors as they arise in real-time quickly.
App databases store highly reliable data as DBMS includes an error-checking system that flags any mistakes that need correcting.
Easy & Fast Search
Easy & Fast Search Developers can quickly search mobile app databases using Data Query Language (DQL). And Hassle-Free Updates occupy your time only minimally.
Hassle-Free Updates
DBMS includes Data Manipulation Languages (DML), ensuring timely and seamless app database updates.
Types of Mobile App Databases
It may surprise you that mobile app databases come in various varieties; let’s explore this topic together.
Distributed Database
A distributed database refers to any database where information is spread out over various physical locations in an organization or distributed among multiple computers connected in some way by networks of computers.
Distributed mobile app databases contain information in one location and copies stored elsewhere. The location can vary between apps.
Centralized Database
A centralized database is any database where data is saved centrally in one spot while still accessible from outside resources.
Assuming your work PC contains complete data, accessing it from a home PC will be much simpler if its database is centralized.
Cloud Database Apps
Cloud-based database apps offer many benefits to modern enterprises. From massive storage capacities, easy accessibility, and real-time updates – the cloud offers all these and much more. It acts like a central database; users can access it anywhere. Database apps are a wonderful advancement that offers ample storage capacity. Cloud technology works like an accessible centralized database, which can be accessed anytime and from any location.
NoSQL Database
NoSQL stands out by operating differently from traditional hybrid app databases, which store information in rows and columns. NoSQL’s flexible schema enables developers to store data of various shapes and sizes.
NoSQL stands out as an application database in its own right, as its use differs greatly from conventional mobile app databases. Traditional databases store information in rows and columns format; NoSQL’s flexible schema permits developers to store information of varying shapes and sizes. Commercial Database Solutions offer NoSQL as one such tool.
Commercial Database
As businesses use enterprise-based database applications, they require an expansive repository to store employee information. Enter commercial app databases – offering login controls and ample storage capacity to protect the confidentiality of employee records.
End-User Database
Your information is stored on an end-user database. Additionally, have you ever accepted cookies on a website? When these are accepted, they’re stored on a database which helps customize your online experience and enhance it further.
Relatable Database
Growing companies tend to develop relationships between two or more app databases – known as relational data – requiring managing. A relational database simplifies that task for its user.
Data stored in this app database is organized in rows and columns for easy navigation between databases.
Top Best Databases for Mobile Apps
An abundance of iOS and Android databases aids developers in creating cutting-edge mobile apps. Our guide provides some top ones that should help select an ideal one based on app requirements.
MongoDB Realm
MongoDB Realm was developed with one purpose in mind – to develop and scale mobile applications development effortlessly and flexibly. Furthermore, this database serves as a fully managed backend service that creates top-rated offline mobile applications from top developers – while connecting information from Realm to cloud databases.
MySQL
MySQL, an open-source, multithreaded database released for use si and written in C or C++, is one of the longest-standing and best-known mobile app databases available today.
Elasticsearch
Elasticsearch should be your mobile app database of choice if your app generates large volumes of daily data, as its USP lies in quickly returning results from large buckets without lag, acting as an inventory item search engine and distributed text search engine simultaneously. Furthermore, its speedy results assist mobile apps in dealing with large datasets efficiently in real-time. Similarly, PostgreSQL also stands out due to its efficient real-time results for working with large datasets efficiently in real-time.
PostgreSQL
PostgreSQL was released soon after MySQL in 1996. Written entirely in C, its software quickly proved itself successful.
An outstanding relational database that makes for excellent iOS and Android development apps. Developers can customize it; however, they see fit – another factor making this choice ideal.
Neo4j
Neo4j stands out among mobile app databases with its native graph database, which delivers great performance while keeping track of data relationships. Furthermore, Neo4j serves mobile app developers well by offering in-depth analyses for deeper context and fast resolution of queries.
Memcached
Memcached is a multithreaded cache system that is distributed and multithreaded. The primary objective is to cache objects to decrease database load while increasing application processing speeds.
Couchbase
Couchbase is well known for providing iOS applications with Access to top-of-the-line databases as a complete stack NoSQL database solution, offering features like offline synchronization with applications, query capabilities, full CRUD functionality, and local device compatibility.
SQLite
SQLite, as its name implies, is a more compact version of MySQL database. This embedded app database enables developers to provide mobile phone users with local data storage.
ORMLite
ORMLite, short for “Relational Object Mapping,” is an innovative mobile database developer for simplified SQL functions and its flexible query builder.
ORMLite might not be ideal for large-scale mobile apps with enormous data needs, such as social media apps; its bulkiness and slower performance may prevent it from fulfilling this role completely. However, other ORMs could provide faster solutions.
Role of Database in Web Application
Web app development services agencies, developers, and designers use databases to store and organize their applications’ required data. As time has passed, more developers have taken to creating applications using databases as part of their development efforts. Understanding databases’ role is integral to understanding custom web application development services – from bookshelves and NAS storage drives to personal desktop computers!
Databases play an essential part in any web application. A web app interacts with its database to store and retrieve information for user usage, such as in a shopping cart website where product, customer, and order details need to be stored in a database for later reference.
How Can you Select the Appropriate Databases for Mobile Apps?
Now that you understand the most prevalent mobile app databases and their advantages, let us discuss methods that will assist in selecting an ideal database for your app development project. These essential considerations aid in understanding your development requirements and selecting them appropriately.
Data Size and Storage on Mobile Applications
Understanding data sizes is vital when selecting an ideal mobile app database. Data sizes refer to how much information needs to be stored or retrieved by a given mobile app and any essential pieces of information necessary for it to work effectively.
Entrepreneurs must also understand which data can be stored without hindering its functions, depending on various factors such as:
- Data structure
- Vendor-specific optimization
- File splitting or paring across files.
Structure of the Data
Entrepreneurs should understand that different mobile applications are developed on various app development frameworks. A strong framework will facilitate better app performance. Therefore, entrepreneurs must comprehend the data structure’s role during app development and how its information may be retrieved later.
An effective mobile app database is critical, as failure to do so could pose major difficulties over time. Misalignments between databases could also delay development processes and make overall processes inefficient.
Data structure plays a pivotal role in ensuring the optimal functioning of a mobile app, so its data must meet requirements to ensure the seamless operation of the program.
What are the Best Practices for Using Databases in Mobile Applications?
Are You Searching for Tips on Databases Used in Mobile Apps? Below are a few leading best practices which will assist business organizations when selecting an ideal mobile app database for their app.
Select a Database that Uses Multiversion Currency Control
MultiVersion Currency Control, or MVCC, helps applications access threads and processes simultaneously without creating bottlenecks or blocking threads or processes. MVCC enables readers to read in parallel while writers make changes while providing snapshots before any modifications take place from the writer’s end.
Selecting a mobile app database using the MVCC method will simplify the development process in the long run.
Predictive Caching to Enhance App Performance
Predictive Caching allows entrepreneurs to gain insight into how their target audience utilizes their app, then analyze user patterns to segment customer segments and provide more tailored services.
Predictive Caching’s main benefit lies in making information readily available locally; users don’t have to log into apps frequently, and MongoDB Realm allows developers to provide users with synchronized predictive-cached data.
Caching Databases Can Reduce the Load
Caching layers should always be included to prevent repeat requests for similar data, thus relieving server load while improving app functionality and handling multiple requests with lower latency rates. Mobile app databases like Memcached may prove especially helpful here.
Low Latency Is an Essential Component
When developing gaming and real-time apps, latency becomes an indispensable element. An increase in latency of more than 500 milliseconds would significantly detract from customer experience and leave them with a bad taste in their mouths.
Organizations should understand that optimizing latency is continuous, and each database could have different requirements. Although there are various techniques for reducing latency, replicating mobile app databases remains the most popular approach; below is a list of leading mobile app databases with lower latency than the industry norm.
- Amazon DynamoDB
- PipelineDB, an SQL database designed for streaming applications
- PostgreSQL for real-time transaction processing
- MongoDB Realm RethinkDB, which are all suitable real-time database solutions.
The Criteria to Choose a Database
Are You Selecting the Appropriate Database mes? Would you purchase the first pair of shoes you see at a mall? No. It must meet certain criteria and specifications to ensure you select an effective database for your mobile app. below are a few factors that will assist in selecting an effective database solution.
You’re Data Structure
The structure of your mobile app’s data is dictated by how you prefer to store and retrieve its information. Apps come with various storage formats; offline apps store information locally on smartphones, while online services store it on servers or the cloud.
Synchronized apps provide another alternative: online applications with data storage capability on smartphones. Select a database that meets the requirements of your app’s database requirements; before making your choice, model the data in its order before selecting a database.
Data Modeling
Did you know Uber uses MySQL, MongoDB, and other databases to store their data and help organize, control, and manage its vast information?
Consider whether or not your database allows you to adapt easily over time by considering its level of flexibility.
Data Size
Remember the Uber example I gave? Their developers and business owners recognized the need for multiple databases because their international operations handle large volumes of information.
As with recognizing how much data will be stored and considering the potential growth of further data.
Now is an opportune time to invest in a highly compatible database, giving you Access to additional storage capacity and an efficient means to access and retrieve information quickly.
Data Security
For optimal data security, it is necessary to evaluate your chosen database’s features carefully. An ideal type would include an integrated authentication system and utilize third-party security service providers; another consideration is cross-platform compatibility.
Cross-Platform or Not
Are You Building an Android, iOS, or Both Platform App? Will Your App Support Wearables or Cloud Storage?
If your long-term plan involves expanding into additional markets, select an app database supporting cross-platform development for easy scaling, adapting, and expanding.
Conflicting Data
Businesses often run into data management conflicts when structuring or handling large volumes of data, necessitating a reliable mechanism provided by their database system to deal with this situation.
Your chosen database should come equipped with an in-built mechanism for identifying and resolving conflicts, typically found in most mobile app databases; additionally, external mechanisms could be integrated.
Selection Criteria Based On Use Cases
Let’s now review the selection criteria based on use cases:
Mobile Apps with Various Data Layers
Mobile Apps with Multiple Data Layers Apps that utilize multi-layer data models can be difficult to manage as their fields and tables depend on one another for functionality.
As applications evolve and require modifications and updates in their database structures, changing them frequently becomes necessary. A structured database such as PostgreSQL might prove too cumbersome and inflexible for this process; by choosing an unstructured one like MongoDB, modifications will become much simpler.
Data Synchronization between Backend Server and Local Database
Many apps feature features that enable them to function offline while still needing an Internet connection to store local data on the application’s server.
Dropbox allows for offline file editing and creation, then when online, the changes sync back up automatically with the cloud server. Therefore, consider selecting an app database such as Couchbase that enables automatic local database synchronization to the cloud server and vice-versa for highly scalable mobile apps.
For Highly Scalable Mobile Apps
Scaling an app typically involves adding resources as servers that will facilitate an effective database. Such databases must be multithreaded to use resources efficiently while managing parallel processing effectively.
Multithreading helps a database schedule parallel jobs according to its available resources, thus decreasing its workload on the server side.
Make sure you use a distributed database to distribute services among various threads to alleviate some of the strain on your main database, leading to improved parallel processing.
Resolve Data Conflicts Between Devices
Mobile apps that modify identical data on multiple devices simultaneously may create data conflicts that need resolution mechanisms; therefore, databases must provide such support so a resolution can occur automatically via cloud storage, device memory, or by humans or external systems.
Users with a Low Network Issue
While transferring required data, any time an SQL database disconnects from its client-side storage, an error message will display. It could require database reconfiguration if this continues to happen frequently.
Therefore, selecting a database with superior reliability that doesn’t lose connection often would be most suitable in this instance.
Pushing Database Changes & New App Updates
Pushing Database Changes and New App Updates to update a mobile app, some modifications are usually necessary for the local database. Thus, developers must remain knowledgeable of old database versions when updating an app.
Your database selection must facilitate the addition of new tables and fields while still meeting user expectations for APIs and database structures for those running older app versions.
What Are the Utility and Benefits of Mobile App Databases?
Before you invest time and resources into finding the ideal database software solution for top mobile app development company and your business, understanding its potential advantages might give you more clarity.
Many of us might mistakenly believe that databases are solely necessary for websites and desktop applications since these need to manage vast datasets. But mobile apps also play an essential part in providing real-time customer information.
Mobile app usage has rapidly increased over the past several years. Without a database for your app, data theft, redundant records, and poor performance could occur – we have listed here some potential benefits you could enjoy from having one in place.
Improves Data Storage Facilities
One of the primary advantages of using a database for mobile apps is data collection and safe storage of various datasets. While many startup companies use Microsoft Access for storage purposes, this may not always be the best choice, as stored information can become corrupted over time.
Utilizing a database for mobile applications is the ideal choice. A dedicated storage platform such as this provides secure protection for any dataset you store without worrying about its integrity or security.
Assemble Information as a Future Reference.
Professionals working on mobile applications require accessing data from different sources. When making modifications, professionals rely on extracting this data for reference purposes in the future if your app doesn’t meet customer expectations – without properly stored information as a future point for development teams and analysts to use when making decisions about its changes.
By storing all these datasets on a database platform, anyone with Access can quickly gain Access to details, analyze patterns and trends, and provide input into decision-making.
Protect Your Asset from Cyber Crimes
Cybercrimes are on the rise and can strike at any moment. To stay protected against them, all possible steps must be taken to safeguard datasets against corruption or theft; database systems serve as excellent safeguards.
Data will not only be securely collected and stored with complex computing algorithms, but the software will also prevent Access by any unapproved user. Most databases come equipped with their protection system;
- You may add one or two security layers as an extra precautionary measure.
- Maintain Data Integrity and Standards
We define data integrity and standards as the relevance and accuracy of collected and sorted datasets. When choosing the wrong DB or delaying third-party software integration, your data could become severely affected: redundancies would arise, duplicate records might form, and relationships among different datasets might become obscure.
Therefore, you must use an open-source database software solution. This software will protect all the datasets collected by you from corruption, inaccuracy, and duplicity.
Conclusion
Mobile app development company process is an ever-evolving industry, making it imperative that business houses stay at the cutting edge when selecting a database to store mobile app data. Furthermore, such databases should meet all requirements for optimal results from development projects.
Mobile applications will remain a significant aspect of digital markets due to their proven revenue-generation potential. According to marketers, by the end of 2021, mobile app revenue will reach $582 billion — representing a 48% increase over previous years.
Selecting a database for your mobile solution can have serious ramifications for its success or failure. Before making your choice, consider all relevant criteria, such as those above, before selecting one that meets them all.
No matter the nature of your mobile application, selecting an appropriate database is vital to its success. Without the appropriate database, data won’t be processed or stored securely within it – an ineffective database means data won’t get processed and stored safely within it, either! With many databases, ensure your chosen software development can handle all necessary functions, such as data modification/storage capabilities and scalability/high-speed requirements.
Selecting the ideal database can make or break your mobile application. Follow the structure-approaching approach mentioned above to find an apt database for your app since no single all-purpose solution fits every use case perfectly. Before succumbing to popular databases, identify use cases and data structures tailored to users’ requirements.