Introduction

ACID and BASE properties are the two important concepts in deciding the right Database Management System. It can be a difficult task and hence important to understand the differences between them and their applications.

ACID Model

ACID stands for Atomicity, Consistency, Isolation, and Durability.

To ensure the integrity of the data, we must follow these properties during a transaction. Let's go through each of them one by one.

1. Atomicity:

Either all or none, according to this property, either the transaction takes place completely or it doesn't. If any of the sequences or elements fails in a transaction, the entire transaction fails. There's no in-between. Transactions cannot occur partially.

2. Consistency:

It ensures that the database is in a consistent state before and after the transaction. Suppose a person A has Rs 1000 in his bank account and a person B has Rs 2000 in his bank account. Initially, the combined total sum of money in both of their account is Rs 3000.
Now let's assume A sends Rs 500 to B. Now the money in A's account is Rs 500 and in B's account, it's Rs 2500. But the total sum of money is still 2500 + 500 = Rs 3000. This shows that the database is in a consistent state before and after the transaction.

3. Isolation:

Each transaction can take place without interfering with each other. They may execute concurrently, but the system will make sure that when one transaction takes place, no other transaction is happening along with it.

4. Durable:

Once the transaction is completed successfully and the operation is written onto the disc, it cannot be erased. It means that the database is durable enough to withstand any kind of system failure.

BASE Model

BASE stands for Basically Available, Soft State, and Eventually Consistent.

The BASE Model was designed specifically to handle transactions of NoSQL databases. It gives more importance to systems being available than consistent.

1. Basically Available:

It means that instead of enforcing consistency immediately on the transaction, more priority will be given to the availability of data. There will be a response to every request that has been asked, even if it is a system failure response. Availability could be ensured by replicating data across many different servers of the database.

2. Soft State:

Soft state means that the system does not have to be in a consistent state all the time. Here, the system can face partial failures and inconsistencies to have more focus on achieving greater flexibility and scalability.

3. Eventually Consistent:

The system will eventually become consistent even though it may take some time to achieve it. When Read operations are called, the system may or may not give a correct answer immediately, but the system will eventually resolve these inconsistencies.

ACID vs BASE: Which is better?

There is no straight answer to this question. Both models are designed to cater to different sets of requirements and specific needs of your application.

ACID properties are best suited for the applications that demand strict transactional consistency, such as financial or banking systems or mission-critical applications.

Whereas BASE properties are better suited for applications that require high availability and scalability such as social media platforms like Facebook or online marketplaces. These can tolerate temporary inconsistencies, as long as the system eventually becomes consistent.

Conclusion

In this article, we covered the two most important database transactional models, each having its own strengths and weaknesses. Ultimately, the choice between ACID and BASE models depends on the needs and requirements of the application.

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Happy Learning!