midCAP Theorem
Difference between ACID and BASE.
Updated Apr 28, 2026
Short answer
ACID (Relational) emphasizes Consistency; BASE (NoSQL) emphasizes Availability.
Deep explanation
Intermediate CAP analysis focuses on real-world database choices and consistency models. ACID (Relational) emphasizes Consistency; BASE (NoSQL) emphasizes Availability.
Real-world example
Amazon DynamoDB using eventual consistency to ensure high availability for the 'Add to Cart' feature.
Common mistakes
- Assuming a CP system is always consistent
- it is only consistent as long as the majority (quorum) is alive.
Follow-up questions
- What is the L in PACELC?