Choosing the right database is a critical choice when building any software application. All databases have different strengths and weaknesses when it comes to performance, so deciding which database has the most benefits and the most minor downsides for your specific use case and data model is an important decision. Below you will find an overview of the key concepts, architecture, features, use cases, and pricing models of Google BigQuery and Kdb so you can quickly see how they compare against each other.

The primary purpose of this article is to compare how Google BigQuery and Kdb perform for workloads involving time series data, not for all possible use cases. Time series data typically presents a unique challenge in terms of database performance. This is due to the high volume of data being written and the query patterns to access that data. This article doesn’t intend to make the case for which database is better; it simply provides an overview of each database so you can make an informed decision.

Google BigQuery vs Kdb Breakdown


 
Database Model

Data warehouse

Time series and columnar database

Architecture

BigQuery is a fully managed, serverless data warehouse provided by Google Cloud Platform. It is designed for high-performance analytics and utilizes Google’s infrastructure for data processing. BigQuery uses a columnar storage format for fast querying and supports standard SQL. Data is automatically sharded and replicated across multiple availability zones within a Google Cloud region

Kdb can be deployed on-premises, in the cloud, or as a hybrid solution.

License

Closed source

Closed source

Use Cases

Business analytics, large-scale data processing, data integration

High-frequency trading, financial services, market data analysis, IoT, real-time analytics

Scalability

Serverless, petabyte-scale data warehouse that can handle massive amounts of data with no upfront capacity planning required

Highly scalable with multi-threading and multi-node support, suitable for large-scale data processing

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Google BigQuery Overview

Google BigQuery is a fully-managed, serverless data warehouse and analytics platform developed by Google Cloud. Launched in 2011, BigQuery is designed to handle large-scale data processing and querying, enabling users to analyze massive datasets in real-time. With a focus on performance, scalability, and ease of use, BigQuery is suitable for a wide range of data analytics use cases, including business intelligence, log analysis, and machine learning.

Kdb Overview

kdb+ is a high-performance columnar, time series database developed by Kx Systems. Released in 2003, kdb+ is designed to efficiently manage large volumes of data, with a primary focus on financial data, such as stock market trades and quotes. It is built on the principles of the q programming language, which is a descendant of APL and K. The database is known for its speed, scalability, and ability to process both real-time and historical data.


Google BigQuery for Time Series Data

BigQuery can be used for storing and analyzing time series data, although it is more focused on traditional data warehouse use cases. BigQuery may struggle for use cases where low latency response times are required

Kdb for Time Series Data

kdb+ is designed to store time series data, making it a natural fit for applications that require high-speed querying and analysis of large volumes of data. Its columnar storage format allows for efficient compression and retrieval of time series data, while its q language provides a powerful and expressive means to manipulate and analyze the data. kdb+ is especially strong for financial data, though it can be used for other types of time series data as well.


Google BigQuery Key Concepts

Some important concepts related to Google BigQuery include:

  • Projects: A project in BigQuery represents a top-level container for resources such as datasets, tables, and views.
  • Datasets: A dataset is a container for tables, views, and other data resources in BigQuery.
  • Tables: Tables are the primary data storage structure in BigQuery and consist of rows and columns.
  • Schema: A schema defines the structure of a table, including column names, data types, and constraints.

Kdb Key Concepts

  • q language: A high-level, domain-specific programming language used for querying and manipulating data in kdb+. It combines SQL-like syntax with a functional programming style.
  • Columnar storage: kdb+ stores data in columns, rather than rows, which allows for faster querying and analysis of time series data.
  • Tables: kdb+ stores data in tables, which are similar to relational tables, but with a focus on columnar storage and time series data.
  • Splayed tables: A table storage format where each column is stored in a separate file, further enhancing query performance.


Google BigQuery Architecture

Google BigQuery’s architecture is built on top of Google’s distributed infrastructure and is designed for high performance and scalability. At its core, BigQuery uses a columnar storage format called Capacitor, which enables efficient data compression and fast query performance. Data is automatically partitioned and distributed across multiple storage nodes, providing high availability and fault tolerance. BigQuery’s serverless architecture automatically allocates resources for queries and data storage, eliminating the need for users to manage infrastructure or capacity planning.

Kdb Architecture

kdb+ is a columnar, time series database that employs a custom data model tailored for efficient storage and querying of time series data. It does not use traditional SQL, but instead relies on the q language for querying and data manipulation. The architecture of kdb+ is designed for both in-memory and on-disk storage, with the ability to scale horizontally across multiple machines. The primary components of kdb+ are the database engine, the q language interpreter, and the built-in web server.

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Google BigQuery Features

Columnar Storage

BigQuery’s columnar storage format, Capacitor, enables efficient data compression and fast query performance, making it suitable for large-scale data analytics.

Integration with Google Cloud

BigQuery integrates seamlessly with other Google Cloud services, such as Cloud Storage, Dataflow, and Pub/Sub, making it easy to ingest, process, and analyze data from various sources.

Machine Learning Integration

BigQuery ML enables users to create and deploy machine learning models directly within BigQuery, simplifying the process of building and deploying machine learning applications.

Kdb Features

High performance

kdb+ is known for its speed and performance, with its columnar storage format and q language allowing for rapid querying and analysis of time series data.

Scalability

kdb+ is designed to scale horizontally, making it suitable for handling large volumes of data across multiple machines.

q language

The q language is a powerful, expressive, and high-level language used for querying and manipulating data in kdb+. It combines SQL-like syntax with a functional programming style.


Google BigQuery Use Cases

Business Intelligence and Reporting

BigQuery is widely used for business intelligence and reporting, enabling users to analyze large volumes of data and generate insights to inform decision-making. Its fast query performance and seamless integration with popular BI tools, such as Google Data Studio and Tableau, make it an ideal solution for this use case.

Machine Learning and Predictive Analytics

BigQuery ML enables users to create and deploy machine learning models directly within BigQuery, simplifying the process of building and deploying machine learning applications. BigQuery’s fast query performance and support for large-scale data processing make it suitable for predictive analytics use cases.

Data Warehousing and ETL

BigQuery’s distributed architecture and columnar storage format make it an excellent choice for data warehousing and ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) workflows. Its seamless integration with other Google Cloud services, such as Cloud Storage and Dataflow, simplifies the process of ingesting and processing data from various sources.

Kdb Use Cases

Financial data analysis

kdb+ is widely used in the financial industry for the storage and analysis of stock market trades, quotes, and other time series financial data.

High-frequency trading

kdb+ is a popular choice for high-frequency trading applications due to its high performance and ability to handle large volumes of real-time data.

IoT and sensor data

kdb+ can be used to store and analyze large volumes of time series data generated by IoT devices and sensors, though its primary focus remains on financial data.


Google BigQuery Pricing Model

Google BigQuery pricing is based on a pay-as-you-go model, with costs determined by data storage, query, and streaming. There are two main components to BigQuery pricing:

  • Storage Pricing: Storage costs are based on the amount of data stored in BigQuery. Users are billed for both active and long-term storage, with long-term storage offered at a discounted rate for infrequently accessed data.
  • Query Pricing: Query costs are based on the amount of data processed during a query. Users can choose between on-demand pricing, where they pay for the data processed per query, or flat-rate pricing, which provides a fixed monthly cost for a certain amount of query capacity.

Kdb Pricing Model

kdb+ is a commercial product, with pricing depending on the deployment model and the number of cores or servers used. Kx Systems offers a free 32-bit version of kdb+ for non-commercial use, with limitations on the amount of memory that can be used. For commercial deployments and full-featured versions, users must contact Kx Systems for pricing details.