MongoDB received the highest scores possible in 21 of the 26 criteria evaluated, including Data Security, Performance, Scalability, High Availability, Global Distribution and Ability to Execute. According to the report, MongoDB "remains the most popular NoSQL database," in large part due to its "ease of use, simplified model, on-demand and elastic scale, multi-cloud support and comprehensive tooling." NoSQL is a broad term that includes any database that does not map data in a relational model.

“It’s always validating to see our technology highlighted in industry-leading analysis like this latest report from Forrester, but the real measurement for MongoDB’s success is the massive developer and customer adoption we continue to see,” said Eliot Horowitz, CTO & co-founder, MongoDB. “When we launched MongoDB a decade ago, one of our underlying beliefs was that the document model is the best way to work with data. Today, even the largest, legacy tech vendors around are pushing their version of the document database. We will continue to lead and innovate in the space to give developers the best way to work with data.”

The report also explains that top use cases for MongoDB include 360-degree analytics, real-time analytics, streaming analytics, fraud and risk management, and other multiple workloads.

The Forrester Wave: Big Data NoSQL 2019 found NoSQL or non-relational databases have matured from “supporting simple schemaless apps to becoming a mission-critical data platform for large Fortune 1000 customers.” The report notes that “half of global data and analytics technology decision makers have either implemented or are implementing NoSQL platforms.”

This is consistent with the growth MongoDB has seen among its customer base, which has expanded to more than 13,000 customers, many of whom are increasingly using MongoDB for business-critical workloads.

Jon Vines, software development team lead at AO.com, an online electricals retailer, said: “We put customers at the heart of everything we do and that excellence extends right through to how we approach development. MongoDB Atlas helps us move quickly because we aren’t constrained by the schema choices that we’ve made. If our document model evolves, our applications evolve with it. For example, in just a few months we were able to deliver a complete single view platform on MongoDB Atlas. That platform is already dramatically reducing our response time on regulatory requests, is improving our ability to fight fraud and enabling our employees, with the appropriate permissions, to access all the useful data we have at the company.”

Forrester Research's evaluation included a review of 15 big data NoSQL vendors.