Document Store Database

Document store database are NoSQL databases.

List of Document Store Databases

Document stores are specifically designed to handle JSON-like documents.

Document store solutions:

  • Apache CouchDB
  • DocumentDB
  • RethinkDB
  • FerretDB
  • MongoDB
  • Amazon DocumentDB
  • Firebase

Apache CouchDB

Apache CouchDB is a document store database.

It is FOSS, under an Apache 2.0 license.

DocumentDB

DocumentDB is a document database, compatible with MongoDB.

It is FOSS under an MIT license.

It is maintained by the Linux Foundation. It was originally developed by Microsoft and launched in January 2025 until it was donated to the Linux Foundation on September 2025.

DocumentDB repository

RethinkDB

RethinkDB is a document-based database developed by the company RethinkDB.

It is FOSS under an Apache 2.0 license.

FerretDB

FerretDB is a document store database.

It is FOSS, under an Apache 2.0 license.

It was first released in 2021, as a FOSS alternative to MongoDB, though it is not a fork. It is developed by American company FerretDB.

FerretDB official website

FerretDB repository

MongoDB

MongoDB is a document store database, and one of the most popular.

A document represents a file that could be, for example, a JSON file. A group of related documents makes a collection. All collections makes the database.

It stores information in Binary JSON (BSON) documents, that was developed by MongoDB itself.

It is source-available, under a Service Side Public License (SSPL).

MongoDB started to be released as Server Side Public License (SSPL) since version 4.0.4 or 2018-10-16, substituting the previous FOSS license AGPL. MongoDB proposed SSPL license to be accepted by OSI as open source, but it was rejected.

All MongoDB versions prior to 4.0.4 or 2018-10-16 (excluding) were released under a AGPL license.

Apart from the disregarded project NormousDB, that forked the latest AGPL version of MongoDB, there were no significant AGPL forked projects of MongoDB. Amazon developed its own in-house proprietary Amazon DocumentDB from an old Apache 2.0 MongoDB version.

MongoDB official website

https://www.theregister.com/2018/10/16/mongodb_licensning_change

Amazon DocumentDB

Amazon DocumentDB is proprietary and developed by American company Amazon.

It offers limited compatibility with the MongoDB API. It was developed from a fork of an Apache 2.0 MongoDB version.

It was launched in 2019.

Amazon DocumentDB official website

Firebase

If you prefer a serverless, NoSQL solution, Firebase, a part of the Google Cloud platform, offers a real-time database and authentication services. It’s especially useful for real-time applications such as chat apps and collaborative tools.

Firebase provides two main types of NoSQL databases: the Firebase Realtime Database and Cloud Firestore.

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