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POUser-created database structure: non-relational or relational databases?
 

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    <p>I want to have dynamic fields in my database records.</p> <p>For example: I want to build an application for users to create their own forms.</p> <p>A user could create the following forms:</p> <p>Personal profile:</p> <ul> <li>Full Name</li> <li>Street</li> <li>Job</li> <li>Phone <ul> <li>Home</li> <li>Work</li> <li>Mobile</li> </ul></li> <li>Interests <ul> <li>Interest 1</li> <li>Interest 2</li> <li>Interest 3</li> </ul></li> </ul> <p>Work:</p> <ul> <li>First name</li> <li>Last name</li> <li>Work <ul> <li>Department <ul> <li>Specialty 1</li> <li>Specialty 2</li> </ul></li> <li>Department <ul> <li>Specialty 1</li> <li>Specialty 2</li> </ul></li> </ul></li> </ul> <p>Countries:</p> <ul> <li>United states <ul> <li>States <ul> <li>New York <ul> <li>Cities <ul> <li>New York</li> <li>Foo</li> </ul></li> </ul></li> <li>Alabama <ul> <li>Cities <ul> <li>Bar</li> <li>Baz</li> </ul></li> </ul></li> </ul></li> </ul></li> </ul> <p>As you can see this is a very dynamical structure:</p> <ul> <li>No predefined number of fields</li> <li>No predefined field names</li> <li>User creates the structure of the database</li> </ul> <p>So I wonder, what is the best database for this: relational (mysql/postgresql) or non-relational like mongodb/couchdb/cassandra or even xml databases like xindice?</p> <p>And even if I choose non-relational databases for this, would it be smart to store security-critical information on it like customer and billing information?</p> <p>I have heard people say that if your information require uniqueness then use relational database. "We don't want to risk to bill our customers twice". What problems on non-relational databases do they actually mean? Can't you store unique data in non-relational databases?</p> <p>Another thing I was thinking about: Won't saving data in non-relational databases mean that I will have duplicated entries?</p> <p>Consider this example:</p> <p>Categories:</p> <ul> <li><p>Office</p> <ul> <li>Applications <ul> <li>Textmate <ul> <li>Author : Foobar</li> <li>Price : 120</li> </ul></li> <li>Foo <ul> <li>Author : Foobar</li> <li>Price : 120</li> </ul></li> </ul></li> </ul></li> <li><p>Office</p> <ul> <li>Applications <ul> <li>Textmate <ul> <li>Author : Foobar</li> <li>Price : 120</li> </ul></li> <li>Bar <ul> <li>Author : Foobar</li> <li>Price : 120</li> </ul></li> </ul></li> </ul></li> </ul> <p>As you see there are situations for identical entries. How do non-relational databases handle these? Im so used to relational databases.</p> <p>I sum up my questions:</p> <ul> <li>What type of database for user-created database structure?</li> <li>Are non-realtional databases for storing security critical information?</li> <li>How do non-realtional databases handle duplications?</li> </ul>
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