Big Data
Definition.
Big Data: Extremely large data sets that may be analyzed computationally to reveal patterns, trends, and associations.
In More Detail
The term is about the point where normal tools stop working, not about a specific row count. If a query still returns in a reasonable time from an indexed PostgreSQL table, you do not have a big data problem — you have a database that needs an index.
The genuine signals are: data arriving faster than a single machine can write it, data too large to fit on one disk, or analysis that has to run across many machines to finish in time. Reaching for distributed tooling before any of those are true adds operational cost and buys nothing.
In Practice
Most client projects never actually reach 'big data' scale — PostgreSQL with proper indexing handles the vast majority of production apps I've built. It's worth knowing the term mainly to recognize when a project genuinely needs a different toolset (and when it doesn't, which is more often).
Related Terms
Browse the full software development glossary, or see the frequently asked questions.
If you are working out whether this applies to your own project, the case studies show where it turned up in real builds, services lists what I take on, and pricing gives the starting figures.
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