How databases work, visualized
What a database does when you run a query, commit a transaction or add a replica, shown step by step.
Start with relational algebra and normalization; indexes and transactions come next, and scaling (replication, sharding, CQRS) last.
Start with Relational Algebra & Joins 11 topics
Start here
Beginner topics, in the order they build on each other.
Next
Intermediate topics.
- Database NormalizationLearn how to split flat, denormalized tables into 1NF, 2NF, and 3NF to eliminate data redundancy.Intermediate20m
- ACID TransactionsExplore the four guarantees — Atomicity, Consistency, Isolation, Durability — that make database transactions safe even during crashes, rule violations, and concurrent updates.Intermediate16m
- B-Tree IndexesAn interactive visualization showing how databases use B-Trees to retrieve data in O(log n) time without scanning the full table.Intermediate20m
- CAP TheoremVisualize the trade-offs between Consistency and Availability when a Network Partition occurs in a distributed system.Intermediate15m
- NoSQL Database ModelsSee one e-commerce order reshaped as a document, a key-value pair, and a wide-column row — and how each NoSQL family trades consistency for availability differently.Intermediate16m
Advanced
For when the rest feels solid.
- Concurrency & DeadlocksVisualize Two-Phase Locking and how circular waits cause database deadlocks during concurrent transactions.Advanced15m
- Database Scaling: Sharding vs ReplicationVisualize how databases scale horizontally. Compare Master-Slave replication for read-heavy workloads against Data Sharding/Partitioning for horizontal write scaling.Advanced20m
- Database ShardingExplore hash-based and range-based database sharding with visual data distribution across multiple nodes.Advanced20m
- Database Replication StrategiesExplore how databases stay in sync across multiple nodes — comparing leader-follower, multi-leader, and leaderless quorum approaches with their write availability and consistency trade-offs.Advanced17m
- CQRS PatternVisualize the Command Query Responsibility Segregation pattern for separating read and write workloads.Advanced20m