DP-900 Describe core data concepts Practice Question
A company wants to run SQL queries on data stored in Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL. Which API should they use?
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates often confuse 'SQL queries' with the Cassandra API because both use a SQL-like language, but Cassandra uses CQL, not standard SQL, and is designed for a different data model (wide-column vs. document).
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Core (SQL) API
The Core (SQL) API is the native API for Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL, designed to query JSON documents using a SQL-like syntax. Since the requirement is to run SQL queries on data stored in Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL, this API directly supports that need without requiring any protocol translation or schema mapping.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Core (SQL) API
Why this is correct
The Core (SQL) API is the native and default API for Azure Cosmos DB, optimized for querying JSON documents using a SQL query dialect. It supports familiar relational constructs such as SELECT, WHERE, JOIN, and GROUP BY, adapted to work on schema-flexible NoSQL data. This makes it the only API that directly accepts SQL queries without translation or compatibility layers.
- ✗
Gremlin API
Why it's wrong here
The Gremlin API is designed for graph data, representing entities as vertices and relationships as edges, and it uses the Gremlin graph traversal language (e.g., g.V().has('name','Alice')) for queries. It does not have a relational or JSON document engine, so standard SQL syntax is not supported. Organizations needing graph analysis should use this API, but it cannot execute the SQL queries described in the question.
- ✗
Cassandra API
Why it's wrong here
The Cassandra API implements the Apache Cassandra wire protocol and data model, where data is stored in tables with partition keys and queried using CQL (Cassandra Query Language). Although CQL has SQL-like syntax for statements like SELECT and INSERT, it differs meaningfully from standard SQL in areas such as indexing, aggregation, and replica consistency. Therefore, it is not appropriate for running T-SQL or standard SQL queries directly.
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MongoDB API
Why it's wrong here
The MongoDB API provides compatibility with MongoDB's query language, which uses JSON-style documents and methods such as find(), aggregate(), and updateOne() to manipulate data. It does not natively support SQL syntax; queries are written as JSON objects with operators like $match and $group. While there are related tools that can translate some SQL for external integration, the API itself is designed for MongoDB's query model, not for SQL.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Data Roles and Core Concepts
Key term
Schema
A schema is a blueprint or logical structure that defines how data is organized, stored, and accessed in a database or information system.
Key term
Data
Data is raw, unprocessed information, like numbers, words, or measurements, that can be stored, processed, and analyzed by computers.
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