Enterprise applications need the right data backbone. This session explores two open-source options for powering modern, data-driven applications on Azure: OSS DocumentDB and Azure Database for PostgreSQL.

We start with DocumentDB, the open source, MongoDB-compatible engine now governed by the Linux Foundation. You’ll learn how its flexible, JSON-first model accelerates prototyping and iteration, why developers choose it for managing enterprise MongoDB workloads, and how its Azure service adds features such as Autoscale, Entra ID integration, and Customer Managed Keys (CMK).

Next, we cover the Azure PostgreSQL database offerings, including Azure Database for PostgreSQL Flexible Server, Elastic Cluster, and the newest enterprise-ready PostgreSQL service. You’ll see how to use these databases support application development, analytics, and AI-driven workloads with reliability and scale.

You’ll leave with clear guidance on when to use each database: DocumentDB for flexible, unstructured, and content-centric workloads; PostgreSQL for structured, relational, and analytical ones. Both integrate seamlessly with Python and modern AI frameworks, allowing you to build secure, scalable, and cost-efficient applications without lock-in.

Backed by Azure’s managed services, open governance, and unified tooling, these technologies give you the flexibility to choose the right data layer for every enterprise application scenario.

This hands-on lab guides you through the process of building a modern, full-stack web application using FastAPI for the backend and open source DocumentDB as the database, all orchestrated with Docker containers. Attendees will learn how to rapidly prototype and deploy scalable Python APIs, leverage containerization for consistent development and testing, and integrate with DocumentDB for flexible, cloud-ready data storage.
In this session, you will learn:
- How to set up a FastAPI backend and connecting it to DocumentDB using Docker Compose.
- Best practices for local development, testing, and CI/CD integration with Docker.
- How open source DocumentDB enables rapid iteration and seamless migration to cloud environments.
- Real-world patterns for building, running, and debugging full-stack apps in isolated, reproducible environments.

By the end of the lab, you’ll have a working application, a deeper understanding of containerized development workflows, and practical experience with the latest open source tools for Python and NoSQL development.