The Howdy Glossary

MonetDB is an open-source column-oriented relational database management system. The main feature of MonetDB is its ability to manage large datasets through the application of a vertical architecture, where columns are stored separately and can be compressed and indexed individually. This approach ensures that only the necessary data is fetched in queries, leading to improved query performance—especially when working with complex analytical queries on large databases. The database supports SQL for querying and has been optimized for online analytical processing (OLAP) workloads, making it suitable for business intelligence applications where fast query responses are crucial.