Comparing Azure Cosmos DB and Astra DB for Building Real-Time Data Apps

This post discusses the comparison between two popular database services, Azure Cosmos DB from Microsoft and DataStax Astra DB, both of which claim to eliminate operational burden and offer scalability on demand. The key differences between them are highlighted. While Azure Cosmos DB is fully managed and globally distributed NoSQL database service, Astra DB is a serverless, multi-cloud, and open-source DBaaS built on Cassandra. Both support REST and schemaless JSON Document APIs, but the combination of Astra DB's Document API with Cassandra's superior stability and option to scale provides better service when scaling up applications. The choice between them depends on specific needs and preferences, with Astra DB being a better choice for open-source technologies and more control over database deployment, while Cosmos DB may be preferable if already using Microsoft Azure and want a fully managed database service with granular scaling options.