Couchbase Server is a NoSQL document database for interactive web applications. It has a flexible data model, is easily scalable, provides consistent high performance and is always on, meaning it is can serve application data 24 hours, 7 days a week. Couchbase Server provides the following benefits:

• Flexible data model

  With Couchbase Server, JSON documents are used to represent application objects and the relationships between objects. This document model is flexible enough so that you can change application objects without having to migrate the database schema, or plan for significant application downtime. Even the same type of object in your application can have a different data structures. For instance, you can initially represent a user name as a single document field. You can later structure a user document so that the first name and last name are separate fields in the JSON document without any downtime, and without having to update all user documents in the system.

  The other advantage to the flexible, document-based data model is that it is well suited to representing real-world items and how you want to represent them. JSON documents support nested structures, as well as field representing relationships between items which enable you to realistically represent objects in your application.

• Easy scalability

  It is easy to scale your application with Couchbase Server, both within a cluster of servers and between clusters at different data centers. You can add additional instances of Couchbase Server to address additional users and growth in application data without any interruptions or changes in your application code. With one click of a button, you can rapidly grow your cluster of Couchbase Servers to handle additional workload and keep data evenly distributed.

  Couchbase Server provides automatic sharding of data and rebalancing at run time; this lets you resize your server cluster on demand. Cross-data center replication providing in Couchbase Server 2.1.0 enables you to move data closer to your user at other data centers.

• Consistent high performance

  Couchbase Server is designed for massively concurrent data use and consistent high throughput. It provides consistent sub-millisecond response times which help ensure an enjoyable experience for users of your application. By providing consistent, high data throughput, Couchbase Server enables you to support more users with fewer servers. The server also automatically spreads workload across all servers to maintain consistent performance and reduce bottlenecks at any given server in a cluster.

• Always online

  Couchbase Server provides consistent sub-millisecond response times which help ensure an enjoyable experience for users of your application. By providing consistent, high data throughput, Couchbase Server enables you to support more users with fewer servers. The server also automatically spreads workload across all servers to maintain consistent performance and reduce bottlenecks at any given server in a cluster.

  Features such as cross-data center replication and auto-failover help ensure availability of data during server or data center failure.

All of these features of Couchbase Server enable development of web applications where low–latency and high throughput are required by end users. Web applications can quickly access the right information within a Couchbase cluster and developers can rapidly scale up their web applications by adding servers.