Microsoft Cosmos DB (DocumentDB API) vs. Cosmos DB (Table API)

Question

Microsoft Cosmos DB includes DocumentDB API, Table API and others. I have about ~ 10 TB of data and would like to have a fast key-value lookup (very little updating and writing, mostly are reading). Add a link for Microsoft Cosmos DB: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/cosmos-db/

1. So how should I choose between DocumentDB API and Table API?
2. Or when should I choose DocumentDB API? When should I choose Table API?
3. Is it a good practice to use DcoumentDB API to store 10 TB of data?

Answer 1

The Azure Cosmos DB Table API was introduced to make Cosmos DB and its advanced indexing, geo-distribution, etc. features available to the Azure Table storage community. The idea is that someone using Azure Table storage who needs more advanced features only offered by Cosmos DB can literally just change their connection string and their existing code will work with Cosmos DB.

But if you are a greenfield customer then I would recommend using SQL API (formerly called Document DB API) which is a super set of Table API. We are constantly investing in providing more advanced features and capabilities to SQL API where as for Table API we are just looking to maintain compatibility with Azure Table storage's API which hasn't changed in many years.

How much data you have doesn't have any affect on what API you choose. They both have the same multi-model infrastructure and can handle the same sizes of data, query loads, distribution, etc.