Couchbase has officially released Ottoman, an Object Data Mapper (ODM) for Node.js, which enhances rapid development, particularly for REST APIs and complex data modeling. Ottoman allows developers to work natively with objects, rapidly prototype data models, and automate tedious tasks like handling referential integrity and dependency management. It supports various data types, custom validators, and multiple indexing strategies, enabling efficient data modeling with embedded objects or references. The application development process involves setting up Couchbase, installing Node.js, and using Ottoman to define models for objects such as customers, employees, and bikes, with explicit indexes for fast lookups. The models are then integrated into an app where routes handle application logic, leveraging Couchbase's query API and Ottoman's generic query methods. Ottoman's abstraction of the storage layer facilitates rapid prototyping, allowing applications to interact with complex data structures without the burden of managing data storage intricacies.