This document provides an overview of NoSQL databases. It begins with a brief history of early database systems and their limitations in handling big data and complex relationships. It then discusses the rise of NoSQL databases to address these limitations by providing a more scalable and flexible solution. The main sections define what a NoSQL database is, describe its key characteristics like schema-less design and horizontal scalability, categorize the different types of NoSQL databases, outline advantages like flexibility and performance for big data, and discuss challenges to consider regarding consistency and learning curves.