The new world of cloud computing needs data storage. CouchDB is the scalable, portable, simple database engine that is helping open source cloud architects put their data stores onto a firm foundation. Beginning CouchDB provides the tools to begin using this very powerful database engine without having to pay license fees for the software, or worry about administrator's certifications or vast hardware requirements. This book teaches the fundamentals of one of the most powerful database engines ever created for the price of a good lunch. After reading this book and working through the examples, you'll be able to write your own applications for CouchDB quickly and easily. In-depth, non-intimidating guide to CouchDB and how it differs from similar offerings such as SimpleDB and BigTable, and also how it differs from traditional relational and object-oriented databases such as Oracle, SQL Server, and MySQL. Detailed explanation of how CouchDB works, its suitability for use in distributed environments, the role of Erlang, and other technical topics in a manner that does not obfuscate methods or results. JavaScript is extremely popular as a development language for CouchDB. No Erlang is required, but a little bit can't hurt either. A tutorial-oriented approach to teaching readers how to use CouchDB, featuring many code examples and listings, as well as screenshots where relevant.