- A
A: Table API
Why wrong: The Table API is designed for key-value data with a flat schema (Entity, Property, and Value), not for flexible JSON documents with SQL-like queries.
- B
B: MongoDB API
Why wrong: While the MongoDB API supports JSON documents and querying, it uses the MongoDB query language, not native SQL-like syntax. The scenario specifically mentions SQL-like queries, making the SQL API a better fit.
- C
C: SQL (Core) API
The SQL API provides native support for JSON documents, low-latency point reads by partition key (playerId), and the ability to run SQL-like queries on document fields such as achievements.
- D
D: Cassandra API
Why wrong: The Cassandra API is based on the Cassandra Query Language (CQL) and is optimized for wide-column data models, not for flexible JSON documents with varying fields.
Quick Answer
The answer is the SQL (Core) API. This API is the correct choice because it is Azure Cosmos DB’s native interface for working with JSON documents, directly supporting flexible schemas that include optional fields like achievements and gamePreferences without requiring schema changes. It also delivers low-latency point reads by playerId when you use the id field as the partition key, and it allows you to run SQL-like queries—such as SELECT * FROM c WHERE ARRAY_CONTAINS(c.achievements, 'specific_achievement')—without needing a separate translation layer. On the DP-900 exam, this scenario tests your understanding that the SQL API is the default, schema-agnostic option for JSON document workloads, while other APIs (like MongoDB or Cassandra) impose specific data models or query languages. A common trap is assuming any NoSQL API works the same, but the SQL API is the only one that combines native JSON support with standard SQL query syntax. Memory tip: “SQL = Schema-Less Queries for JSON.”
DP-900 Practice Question: Describe considerations for working with non-relational data on Azure
This DP-900 practice question tests your understanding of describe considerations for working with non-relational data on azure. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A gaming application stores player profiles as JSON documents. Each profile has standard fields like playerId, username, and email, but also optional fields such as achievements and gamePreferences. The application needs to query profiles by playerId with low latency and also run SQL-like queries to find players with specific achievements. Which Azure Cosmos DB API should they choose?
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
C: SQL (Core) API
The SQL (Core) API is the best choice because it natively supports JSON documents with flexible schemas (including optional fields like achievements and gamePreferences), provides low-latency point reads by playerId using the id field as the partition key, and enables SQL-like queries (e.g., SELECT * FROM c WHERE ARRAY_CONTAINS(c.achievements, 'specific_achievement')) without requiring a separate indexing or translation layer.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
A: Table API
Why it's wrong here
The Table API is designed for key-value data with a flat schema (Entity, Property, and Value), not for flexible JSON documents with SQL-like queries.
- ✗
B: MongoDB API
Why it's wrong here
While the MongoDB API supports JSON documents and querying, it uses the MongoDB query language, not native SQL-like syntax. The scenario specifically mentions SQL-like queries, making the SQL API a better fit.
- ✓
C: SQL (Core) API
Why this is correct
The SQL API provides native support for JSON documents, low-latency point reads by partition key (playerId), and the ability to run SQL-like queries on document fields such as achievements.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
D: Cassandra API
Why it's wrong here
The Cassandra API is based on the Cassandra Query Language (CQL) and is optimized for wide-column data models, not for flexible JSON documents with varying fields.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse the MongoDB API's JSON document support with SQL-like query capability, but the question specifically requires SQL-like queries, which only the SQL (Core) API provides natively.
Trap categories for this question
Scenario analysis trap
While the MongoDB API supports JSON documents and querying, it uses the MongoDB query language, not native SQL-like syntax. The scenario specifically mentions SQL-like queries, making the SQL API a better fit.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, the SQL (Core) API stores each JSON document as an item in a container, and the indexing policy automatically indexes all properties by default, enabling efficient queries on any field including nested arrays. The low-latency point read by playerId is achieved by setting playerId as the partition key, which routes the request to a single physical partition, and the SQL-like query engine uses a distributed query execution plan that can push filters down to the index. In a real-world scenario, a gaming app with millions of players can query for 'players who have the 'speed_demon' achievement' with a query like SELECT * FROM c WHERE ARRAY_CONTAINS(c.achievements, 'speed_demon') and get results in milliseconds due to automatic indexing of array elements.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
- →
Describe considerations for working with non-relational data on Azure — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
Describe considerations for working with non-relational data on Azure practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
- →
All DP-900 questions
982 questions across all exam domains
- →
Microsoft Azure Data Fundamentals DP-900 study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
- →
DP-900 practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Related DP-900 practice-question pages
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Describe core data concepts practice questions
Practise DP-900 questions linked to Describe core data concepts.
Describe an analytics workload on Azure practice questions
Practise DP-900 questions linked to Describe an analytics workload on Azure.
Identify considerations for relational data on Azure practice questions
Practise DP-900 questions linked to Identify considerations for relational data on Azure.
Describe considerations for working with non-relational data on Azure practice questions
Practise DP-900 questions linked to Describe considerations for working with non-relational data on Azure.
DP-900 fundamentals practice questions
Practise DP-900 questions linked to DP-900 fundamentals.
DP-900 scenario practice questions
Practise DP-900 questions linked to DP-900 scenario.
DP-900 troubleshooting practice questions
Practise DP-900 questions linked to DP-900 troubleshooting.
Practice this exam
Start a free DP-900 practice session
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this DP-900 question test?
Describe considerations for working with non-relational data on Azure — This question tests Describe considerations for working with non-relational data on Azure — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: C: SQL (Core) API — The SQL (Core) API is the best choice because it natively supports JSON documents with flexible schemas (including optional fields like achievements and gamePreferences), provides low-latency point reads by playerId using the id field as the partition key, and enables SQL-like queries (e.g., SELECT * FROM c WHERE ARRAY_CONTAINS(c.achievements, 'specific_achievement')) without requiring a separate indexing or translation layer.
What should I do if I get this DP-900 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Same concept, more angles
6 more ways this is tested on DP-900
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A healthcare application stores patient medical records as JSON documents. Each document contains a variable set of fields depending on the patient's conditions. The application needs to query records by any field and support high write throughput. Which Azure data store is most appropriate?
medium- A.Azure Blob Storage
- B.Azure Synapse Analytics
- ✓ C.Azure Cosmos DB with SQL API
- D.Azure Table Storage
Why C: Azure Cosmos DB with SQL API is the most appropriate choice because it natively supports storing and querying JSON documents with variable schemas, enabling efficient queries on any field. Its multi-model architecture and configurable indexing policies allow high write throughput while maintaining low-latency queries, which is critical for healthcare applications with dynamic patient records.
Variation 2. A social media application stores user profiles as JSON documents. Each profile has standard fields like userId, name, and email, but also optional fields such as education and work history. The application needs to query profiles by userId with low latency and also run SQL-like queries to find all profiles with a specific work history value. Which Azure Cosmos DB API should they choose?
medium- ✓ A.SQL (Core) API
- B.MongoDB API
- C.Gremlin (Graph) API
- D.Table API
Why A: The SQL (Core) API is the correct choice because it natively supports querying JSON documents with SQL-like syntax, enabling both low-latency point reads by userId and complex queries on nested fields like work history. It provides automatic indexing of all JSON properties, which ensures efficient execution of queries across optional fields without requiring schema management.
Variation 3. A social media application stores user profiles as JSON documents. Each user profile can have different attributes (e.g., some have 'education', others have 'work experience'). The application needs to query profiles by any attribute with low latency. Which Azure data store is most appropriate?
medium- A.Azure Blob Storage
- B.Azure Table Storage
- ✓ C.Azure Cosmos DB (SQL API)
- D.Azure SQL Database
Why C: Azure Cosmos DB with the SQL API is the correct choice because it natively supports schema-agnostic JSON documents, allowing each user profile to have varying attributes without requiring a fixed schema. Its indexing policies enable low-latency queries on any attribute, and it provides single-digit millisecond response times for point reads and queries, which is essential for a social media application.
Variation 4. A social media application stores user sessions as JSON documents. Each session document has fields like sessionId, userId, startTime, endTime, and a list of pageviews. The application needs to quickly retrieve a session by its sessionId and also run queries like 'find all sessions for a user in the last 24 hours' using SQL-like syntax. The data has no fixed schema; different sessions may include additional optional fields like 'deviceType' or 'promotionCode'. Which Azure data store should the company use?
easy- ✓ A.Azure Cosmos DB with SQL API
- B.Azure Table Storage
- C.Azure SQL Database
- D.Azure Blob Storage
Why A: Azure Cosmos DB with SQL API is the correct choice because it natively supports storing JSON documents with flexible schemas, allows fast point reads by sessionId using a unique identifier, and enables SQL-like queries (e.g., filtering by userId and startTime) with automatic indexing. Its schema-agnostic design handles optional fields like deviceType or promotionCode without requiring schema changes, and it provides low-latency reads essential for real-time session retrieval.
Variation 5. A social media application stores user posts as JSON documents in Azure Cosmos DB. Each post includes fields such as postId, userId, content, timestamp, and an array of tags. The development team wants to query posts by userId and timestamp range using a SQL-like syntax. Which Azure Cosmos DB API should they choose?
easy- A.A. Azure Cosmos DB for MongoDB API
- ✓ B.B. Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL API (Core SQL API)
- C.C. Azure Cosmos DB for Table API
- D.D. Azure Cosmos DB for Apache Cassandra API
Why B: The Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL API (Core SQL API) is the correct choice because it natively supports SQL-like querying (SELECT, WHERE, ORDER BY) over JSON documents. The team's requirement to query posts by userId and timestamp range using SQL-like syntax is directly supported by this API, which treats each JSON document as an item and allows filtering on nested fields like userId and timestamp. Other APIs either lack native SQL-like syntax or are optimized for different data models (e.g., MongoDB uses a JSON-like query language, Table API uses OData, Cassandra uses CQL).
Variation 6. A social networking application stores user profiles as JSON documents in Azure Cosmos DB. Each profile includes fields such as 'userName', 'email', 'followersCount', and optional 'interests'. The application needs to perform fast point reads by 'userName' (under 10 ms) and also run queries to find all users with a 'followersCount' greater than a certain value. The development team prefers to use a query syntax similar to SQL. Which Azure Cosmos DB API should they choose?
medium- ✓ A.Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL (SQL API)
- B.Azure Cosmos DB for MongoDB
- C.Azure Cosmos DB for Table
- D.Azure Cosmos DB for Apache Cassandra
Why A: Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL (SQL API) is the correct choice because it natively supports SQL-like query syntax for querying JSON documents, enabling the required queries such as filtering by 'followersCount'. It also provides fast point reads (under 10 ms) by using the 'userName' field as the partition key, ensuring efficient direct access to individual documents.
Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
This DP-900 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Microsoft certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the DP-900 exam.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.