Living the graph: how graph databases fit into everyday life

Graph databases are gaining popularity as a solution to handle data relationships, which is crucial for next-generation applications that require real-time recommendations, graph-based search, and identity management. They have been around for nearly 300 years, with the concept of graphs theory dating back to Leonhard Euler's work on the Seven Bridges puzzle in 1736. Graph databases are easily understood and used daily, similar to how we navigate the London Underground map or follow family trees. These databases power many everyday businesses, including social media sites like Twitter and Facebook, online retailers such as Walmart and eBay, and online dating platforms, analyzing complex relationships to identify potential matches. The fast and real-time nature of graph databases makes them an excellent platform for unlocking business value from data relationships, which is not possible with traditional SQL or most NoSQL databases.