Azure Cosmos DB
Fully managed, globally distributed NoSQL database service offering multi-model support with low-latency access worldwide
ArangoDB
Scalable multi-model database for graphs, documents, and key-values
ArangoDB delivers native graph, document, and key-value capabilities with a unified AQL query language, horizontal scalability, high availability, and integrated full-text search for modern data-driven applications.
Overview
Highlights
Native multi-model support (graph, document, key-value)
Integrated ArangoSearch full-text and ranking engine
Horizontal scalability with sharding and automatic failover
Foxx JavaScript microservice framework for data-centric services
Pros
- Unified query language simplifies multi-model operations
- High-performance C++ core handles large datasets efficiently
- Flexible schema-free or schema-validated data modeling
- Robust clustering with built-in HA and replication
Considerations
- Steeper learning curve for AQL compared to traditional SQL
- Enterprise-only features require a paid edition
- Memory usage can be high for large indexes
- Operational complexity increases with multi-node clusters
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Fit guide
Great for
- Applications needing combined graph and document queries
- Real-time analytics on connected data
- Microservice architectures that benefit from embedded JavaScript logic
- Enterprises requiring horizontal scaling and high availability
Not ideal when
- Simple key-value stores where a dedicated KV database suffices
- Projects with strict low-memory constraints
- Teams preferring pure SQL relational models
- Use cases requiring only on-premise without cloud support
How teams use it
Social network feed generation
Fast traversal of user relationships and content ranking using AQL and ArangoSearch to deliver personalized feeds.
Fraud detection in financial transactions
Combine graph patterns of transaction flows with document attributes to identify anomalous cycles in near real-time.
IoT telemetry storage and query
Store time-series key-value metrics alongside device metadata, enabling flexible queries and alerts via Foxx services.
Product recommendation engine
Leverage multi-model data to match user behavior graphs with product catalogs, delivering ranked suggestions through integrated search.
Tech snapshot
C++51%
JavaScript45%
TypeScript1%
NASL1%
Python1%
CMake1%
Frequently asked questions
What query language does ArangoDB use?
ArangoDB uses AQL (ArangoDB Query Language), a SQL-like language that works across documents, graphs, and key-value collections.
Is there a free version?
Yes, the Community Edition is free and fully featured for development and many production workloads.
Can I run ArangoDB in Docker?
Absolutely—official Docker images are provided; start with `docker run -e ARANGO_ROOT_PASSWORD=... -p 8529:8529 -d arangodb`.
How does clustering work?
Data can be sharded across nodes with automatic replication and failover; features like SmartGraphs and OneShard simplify graph clustering.
What languages can I use for client applications?
ArangoDB offers drivers for JavaScript, Python, Java, Go, C#, and many other languages.
Project at a glance
Active- Stars
- 14,062
- Watchers
- 14,062
- Forks
- 879
Repo age14 years old
Last commit18 hours ago
Primary languageC++
Last synced 12 hours ago