Seven Databases in Seven Weeks

Name: Seven Databases in Seven Weeks
ISBN: 9787115312242

Jim R.Wilson / Eric RedmondPosts & Telecom Press · ChinaNov 2014

3.9

Word count: 139K words
Chapters: 18
ISBN: 9787115312242

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Summary

Data today is growing larger and more complex. If data is the new oil, databases are the oil fields, refineries, drilling rigs, and pumps. As a modern software developer, you need to understand the new landscape of data management, covering both RDBMSs and NoSQL. Following the style of Seven Languages in Seven Weeks, this book leads you through the hottest open-source databases. After a brief introduction, each chapter covers one of seven databases: PostgreSQL, Riak, Apache HBase, MongoDB, Apache CouchDB, Neo4j, and Redis. They belong to five different database styles, and each stores data and sees the world in its own way. The book explores the strengths and weaknesses of each database and shows how to choose the one that best fits your application. It is written for database architects, DBAs, and programmers who want to learn NoSQL technologies, helping readers understand, choose, and apply these databases so as to better harness the growing power of big data.

Editor's review

Seven Databases in Seven Weeks is a highly practical guide to database technologies. Framed around a distinctive "seven-week learning method," the book devotes each week to an in-depth look at one representative database: PostgreSQL, Riak, HBase, MongoDB, CouchDB, Neo4j, and Redis. This is not a mere operations manual; by comparing the design philosophies, data models, and use cases of different databases, it guides readers toward a systematic understanding of the modern database landscape. Authors Eric Redmond and Jim R. Wilson, both seasoned developers, translate complex concepts into clear hands-on projects, enabling readers to grasp each database's core strengths and limitations through practice. The book's greatest value lies in breaking the mindset that "one database solves everything," helping developers make sounder technology selection decisions when facing specific business needs. Although some database versions may have since been updated, the design principles and trade-off thinking the book reveals remain durably relevant.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Backend developers who want a systematic understanding of the features and use cases of multiple databases
Software engineers who need to make technology selections or architectural decisions for projects
Learners interested in NoSQL and emerging database technologies who want to get hands-on quickly
Mid-to-senior technical professionals eager to broaden their technical horizons and understand different data storage philosophies

Not a good fit for

Readers seeking deep dives into the internal principles and advanced features of one specific database
Complete beginners with no database or programming background looking for a from-scratch tutorial

Reading tips

Read the chapters in order, focusing on one database each week and completing the accompanying exercises to reinforce understanding
As you read, consider current technology trends and reflect on how each database has evolved and where it stands today for further study
Focus on comparing data models (document, key-value, graph, columnar) and design trade-offs such as consistency and availability across databases

About the publisher

Posts & Telecom Press China · Founded in 1953

Posts & Telecom Press is known for its strengths in science and technology, computing, and information and communications titles, and has extended its publishing into photography, art, software learning, and inspirational growth, giving it a fairly diverse range. Its catalog includes computing and communications works such as Refactoring and Patterns (Revised Edition) and Huawei Switch Learning Guide (Second Edition), alongside bilingual collector's editions such as The Little Prince (Chinese-English-French illustrated collector's edition), The Great Gatsby, and Three Days to See. Beijing Ten Years: 1980-1990 and Ghost Blade: WLOP Personal Illustration Collection reflect its presence in photography and art. Its authors include Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Helen Keller, Joshua Kerievsky, Wang Da, Zhang Zhaozeng, and WLOP.

版权信息
内容提要
译者简介
序
作者访谈
前言
致谢
第1章概述
第2章 PostgreSQL
第3章 Riak
第4章 HBase
第5章 MongoDB
第6章 CouchDB
第7章 Neo4j
第8章 Redis
第9章结束语
附录A 数据库概述表
附录B CAP定理

FAQ

How much database background does this book require?

It assumes basic database concepts (such as SQL) and programming experience. The book guides readers through concrete examples, but it is not a zero-foundation primer.

Are the database versions in the book outdated?

Some specific operations or versions may have been updated, but the core concepts, data model comparisons, and selection approaches retain lasting value; readers can extend their learning with the latest documentation.

What advantages does this book offer over books focused on a single database?

Its strength is the comparative perspective: it helps readers build a mental framework for technology selection and understand the design philosophies and use cases of different databases, rather than merely mastering one tool.

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About the author

Jim R.Wilson Author

Jim R. Wilson is an author about whom limited public information is available, and what can be confirmed centers mainly on his computer-related work. The library holds one title by him, Seven Databases in Seven Weeks. Classified under general computing, the book focuses on learning and getting started with database technology. Its week-by-week structure helps readers build an overall understanding of various database types within a limited time, rather than dwelling on the operational details of a single product. This approach emphasizes cross-comparison and conceptual clarity, making it suitable for readers who want a quick overview of the database field. Since reliable records of the author's education, career, and nationality are unavailable, no inferences are made here; judgments about his writing style and influence rest only on what the book presents, and a fuller picture of the author awaits further material.

Eric Redmond Author

Eric Redmond is a technical author whose Chinese edition of Seven Databases in Seven Weeks is classified under general computing. Publicly available information about his nationality, dates of birth and death, education, and professional career is limited, so this introduction can only offer a brief account based on the work listed in the database. Judging from its title, Seven Databases in Seven Weeks adopts a week-by-week structure and discusses a range of databases, helping readers build an overall understanding of different database types within a relatively short time. Writing of this kind typically emphasizes conceptual clarity and cross-comparison, focusing on explaining key technical points rather than piling up details, and is therefore suitable for readers who wish to broaden their view of databases. Based on the available material, his writing shows a clear orientation toward introductory guidance and comparative learning, and the work has helped popularize database knowledge among Chinese computing readers.