Cloud Database Development — The Basics

Abstract

Just so we can start at the same place, I want to cover a quick overview of database development. Since database development can be a book of its own, understanding it is key, as it is the backbone of the journey that will take place in this book. I won’t go too extensively into the topic but want to at least cover the basics for getting us started on the path of developing an iCloud application. I expect people reading this book to be somewhat knowledgeable of databases and how they work. This chapter serves as a refresher on databases and sheds some light on the back-end systems we often take for granted. Remote and cloud databases are still a relatively new subject, especially when relating to how they can be used with mobile applications. Understanding how connections are made and the ways they are being used in the modern world are important when it comes time to think through your application and begin coding. While this book focuses primarily on iCloud development, it’s also important to be aware of other database platforms such as Azure and MySQL. Most likely, you won’t be able avoid these other platforms for long, and cloud databases are becoming so necessary in today’s world, having a general understanding of other systems is crucial.