When to Redis? When to MongoDB?
What I want is not a comparison between Redis and MongoDB. I know they are different; the performance and the API is totally different.
Redis is very fast, but the API is very 'atomic'. MongoDB will eat more resources, but the API is very very easy to use, and I am very happy with it.
They're both awesome, and I want to use Redis in deployment as much as I can, but it is hard to code. I want to use MongoDB in development as much as I can, but it needs an expensive machine.
So what do you think about the use of both of them? When to pick Redis? When to pick MongoDB?
Answer
I would say, it depends on kind of dev team you are and your application needs.
For example, if you require a lot of querying, that mostly means it would be more work for your developers to use Redis, where your data might be stored in variety of specialized data structures, customized for each type of object for efficiency. In MongoDB the same queries might be easier because the structure is more consistent across your data. On the other hand, in Redis, sheer speed of the response to those queries is the payoff for the extra work of dealing with the variety of structures your data might be stored with.
MongoDB offers simplicity, much shorter learning curve for developers with traditional DB and SQL experience. However, Redis's non-traditional approach requires more effort to learn, but greater flexibility.
Eg. A cache layer can probably be better implemented in Redis. For more schema-able data, MongoDB is better. [Note: both MongoDB and Redis are technically schemaless]
If you ask me, my personal choice is Redis for most requirements.
Lastly, I hope by now you have seen http://antirez.com/post/MongoDB-and-Redis.html