Which of the following database structures is a type of NoSQL database?

Question

Options

• AHierarchical
• BKey-value stores
• CCloud
• DObject-oriented

• B
  94% (15)
• C
  6% (1)

Explanation

Key-value stores (B) are a foundational NoSQL database type that store data as simple pairs of unique keys mapped to values - examples include Redis and DynamoDB - making them ideal for caching, sessions, and fast lookups without a fixed schema.

Why the distractors are wrong:

• A (Hierarchical) is a pre-relational database model from the 1960s–70s (like IBM's IMS), predating the NoSQL movement entirely - it's its own separate category.
• C (Cloud) is a deployment environment, not a database structure; NoSQL databases can run in the cloud, but "cloud" itself describes where data lives, not how it's organized.
• D (Object-oriented) databases store data as objects matching OOP models, but they are their own distinct database paradigm - not typically classified under the NoSQL umbrella.

Memory tip: NoSQL = "Not Only SQL," and it groups four main structures - Key-value, Document, Column-family, and Graph - use the mnemonic "Kids Don't Cry" to recall them on exam day.

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