File System vs DBMS: Which One Do You Need

Let's first look at the familiar file system vs dbms landscape from the perspective of a file system. Think of a file system like a well-organized filing cabinet in an office. You have folders, and within those folders, you have individual files. You can create new files, name them, put them into specific folders, and retrieve them when needed. This hierarchical structure is intuitive and excellent for storing unstructured or semi-structured data like documents, images, videos, and executable programs. Access is generally straightforward, managed by the operating system's permissions. For simple tasks, like storing personal documents or managing a small collection of media, a file system is often more than sufficient. It's typically less complex and requires fewer resources to set up and maintain.