Azure Table Storage and Azure Cosmos DB are both NoSQL storage services, but they differ in features, scalability, and use cases.
Azure Table Storage is a simple key-value store designed for high-scale applications with large amounts of structured data. It offers low-cost storage, strong consistency, and fast access times. Best suited for scenarios like logging, telemetry, or storing user preferences where complex querying isn’t required.
Azure Cosmos DB, on the other hand, is a globally distributed, multi-model database service that supports document, key-value, graph, and column-family data models. It provides horizontal scaling, tunable consistency levels, and advanced query capabilities using SQL-like syntax. Ideal for mission-critical applications requiring global distribution, real-time analytics, or complex queries.
Key differences include:
1. Data model: Table Storage uses key-value pairs, while Cosmos DB supports multiple data models.
2. Scalability: Cosmos DB offers better horizontal scaling and global distribution.
3. Consistency: Cosmos DB has tunable consistency levels, whereas Table Storage only offers strong consistency.
4. Querying: Cosmos DB has more advanced querying options compared to Table Storage’s limited filtering capabilities.
5. Pricing: Table Storage is generally cheaper than Cosmos DB due to its simplicity.
