How does a LAMP developer get started using a Redis/Node.js Solution?

Question

I come from the cliche land of PHP and MySQL on Dreamhost. BUT! I am also a javascript jenie and I've been dying to get on the Node.js train. In my reading I've discovered inadvertently a NoSQL solution called Redis!

With my shared web host and limited server experience (I know how to install Linux on one of my old dell's and do some basic server admin) how can I get started using Redis and Node.js? and the next best question is -- what does one even use Redis for? What situation would Redis be better suited than MySQL? And does Node.js remove the necessity for Apache? If so why do developers recommend using NGINX server?

Lots of questions but there doesnt seem to be a solid source out there with this info all in one place!

Thanks again for your guidance and feedback!

Answer 1

NoSQL is just an inadequate buzz word.

I'll attempt to answer the latter part of the question.

Redis is a key-value store database system. Speed is its primary objective, so most of its use comes from event driven implementations (as it goes over in its reddit tutorial).

It excels at areas like logging, message transactions, and other reactive processes.

Node.js on the other hand is mainly for independent HTTP transactions. It is basically used to serve content (much like a web server, but Node.js really wouldn't be necessarily public facing) very fast which makes it useful for backend business logic applications.

For example, having a C program calculate stock values and having Node.js serve the content for another internal application to retrieve or using Node.js to serve a web page one is developing so one's coworkers can view it internally.

It really excels as a middleman between applications.

Answer 2

Redis

Redis is an in-memory datastore : All your data are stored in the memory meaning that a huge database means huge memory usage, but with really fast access and lookup.

It is also a key-value store : You don't have any realtionships, or queries to retrieve your data. You can only set a key value pair, and retreive it by its id. (Redis also provides useful types such as sets and hashes).

These particularities makes Redis really well suited for storing sessions in a web application, creating indexes on a database, handling real-time data like analytics.

So if you need something that will "replace" MySQL for storing your basic application models I suggest you try something like MongoDB, Riak or CouchDB that are document store. Document stores manages your data as something analogous to JSON objects (I know it's a huge shortcut).

Read this article if you want to know more about popular nosql databases .

Node.js

Node.js provides asynchrous I/O for the V8 JavaScript engine. When you run a node server, it listens on a port on your machine (eg 3000). It does not do any sort of Domain name resolution and Virtual Host handling so you have to use a http server with a proxy such as Apache or nginx.

Choosing over nginx in production is a matter of performance, and I find it easier to use. But I suggest you use the one you're the most comfortable with.

To get started with it just install them and start playing with it. HowToNode

Answer 3

You can get a free plan from https://redistogo.com/ - it is a hosted redis database instance.

Quick intro to redis data types and basic commands is available here - http://redis.io/topics/data-types-intro .

A good comparison of when to use what is here - http://playbook.thoughtbot.com/choosing-platforms/databases/