API reference (for YSQL and YCQL)

APIs

YugabyteDB API reference

YugabyteDB supports two flavors of distributed SQL:

  • YSQL is a fully-relational SQL API that is wire compatible with the SQL language in PostgreSQL. It is best fit for RDBMS workloads that need horizontal write scalability and global data distribution while also using relational modeling features such as JOINs, distributed transactions and referential integrity (such as foreign keys).
  • YCQL is a semi-relational SQL API that is best fit for internet-scale OLTP and HTAP applications needing massive data ingestion and blazing-fast queries. It supports distributed transactions, strongly consistent secondary indexes and a native JSON column type. YCQL has its roots in the Cassandra Query Language.

Note that the APIs are isolated and independent from one another, and you need to select an API first before undertaking detailed database schema and query design and implementation.