Data Access Patterns:?

Short answer: If services need complex queries and relationships (e.g., joins, foreign keys), a relational database (SQL) might be suitable. If the data access is simpler, more flexible, or requires high scalability, a NoSQL database (e.g., MongoDB, Cassandra) might be better.

Say this in the interview

1. Define — one clear sentence (the short answer above).
2. Example — relate it to a project like ShopNest or your real work.
3. Trade-off — when you would not use it.