add the get-started documents

[annastuchlik]

This PR adds documents that cover basic concepts in ScyllaDB and help developers get started with ScyllaDB.

In addition, the left navigation bar is enabled in this project so that the new documents are shown in the page tree.

[annastuchlik]

@dgarcia360 Please have a look to see if everything is OK in terms of our toolchain, customization, etc.

[timkoopmans]

Minor / cosmetic changes. Great job porting this over from google docs!

[zseta]

Minor suggestions and adding the feature store sample app

[tzach]

Visual comment: the combination of left menu and cards does not work well

[tzach]

Some initial comments on the content, starting with Key Features page:
It's to marketing. in docs, we need to

• provide 100% accurate info on the product.

• add a reference to each of the claims.

• High Performance and Scalability - these are two different items! Performance is a result of the share per core architecture and other optimizations. Scalability is a result of the ring architecture. Since we already have Horizontal Scalability below, we can remove it from here.

• Fault Tolerance: the result of eventual consistency, Raft...

• Efficient Caching: not clear.

• Comprehensive Monitoring: link to the monitoring project

As is, the Use Cases section is too vague to be part of the docs.

"Big Data Analytics: Ideal for applications requiring real-time processing of vast datasets."
This is not true. Scylla is not a good tool for pure "Big Data Analytics".
Scylla is a good tool for real-time processing (OLTP), which can also support concurrent Analytics requests.

[tzach]

Can we use Tabs in the Driver page, as in the Connect an Application?
It would make the page more compact and make the "CONNECT AN APPLICATION" more visible.

[tzach]

data-modeling/query-design/ - We should remove it or add examples to make it worthwhile. Without examples, it is a collection of high-level statements that are hard to use.
BTW, we have a Scylla U course on data modeling we can link to.

[tzach]

/data-modeling/schema-design/

An advantage of NoSQL databases such as ScyllaDB is the perception that schema design can evolve.

Relational database supports ALTER TABLE for decades. Lets avoid such statements, they are not helping the user to use the product.

[dgarcia360]

@annastuchlik I'm not sure to like the homepage with the sidebar enabled.

Instead, in a future iteration we might want to link this getting started content on this section. Instead of showing products, we can show actions readers might want to do:

By doing so, we can move back the open-source, enterprise, cloud products to the "Products list" section:

[timkoopmans]

As a suggestion, cc/ @tzach and @annastuchlik let's leave the sidebar hidden (so as not to interfere with the cards) until users are directed to the getting started guide. To first navigate there, how about we link this guide via the "New to ScyllaDB? Start here" link. ATM this link goes to ScyllaDB basics which has a cloud context. Perhaps this guide is a better replacement for that.

[annastuchlik]

Yes, I'll hide the sidebar and add a link. Better, I'll replace the link with a button (it's supported by the current theme, so we don't need to release anything). I need to move the files under one folder beforehand.

[timkoopmans]

As a suggestion, cc/ @tzach and @annastuchlik let's leave the sidebar hidden (so as not to interfere with the cards) until users are directed to the getting started guide. To first navigate there, how about we link this guide via the "New to ScyllaDB? Start here" link. ATM this link goes to ScyllaDB basics which has a cloud context. Perhaps this guide is a better replacement for that.

[timkoopmans]

Some initial comments on the content, starting with Key Features page: It's to marketing. in docs, we need to

• provide 100% accurate info on the product.
• add a reference to each of the claims.
• High Performance and Scalability - these are two different items! Performance is a result of the share per core architecture and other optimizations. Scalability is a result of the ring architecture. Since we already have Horizontal Scalability below, we can remove it from here.
• Fault Tolerance: the result of eventual consistency, Raft...
• Efficient Caching: not clear.
• Comprehensive Monitoring: link to the monitoring project

As is, the Use Cases section is too vague to be part of the docs.

"Big Data Analytics: Ideal for applications requiring real-time processing of vast datasets." This is not true. Scylla is not a good tool for pure "Big Data Analytics". Scylla is a good tool for real-time processing (OLTP), which can also support concurrent Analytics requests.

scrapping that section as I feel it's hard to get right for this getting started guide / doesn't offer a lot of value to developer at this point in onboarding.

[timkoopmans]

/data-modeling/schema-design/

An advantage of NoSQL databases such as ScyllaDB is the perception that schema design can evolve.

Relational database supports ALTER TABLE for decades. Lets avoid such statements, they are not helping the user to use the product.

scrapped in latest comments for something shorter / less snakeoil

[timkoopmans]

data-modeling/query-design/ - We should remove it or add examples to make it worthwhile. Without examples, it is a collection of high-level statements that are hard to use. BTW, we have a Scylla U course on data modeling we can link to.

more examples added

[annastuchlik]

@timkoopmans @tzach Please re-review.
I've merged Tim's suggestions and added the examples. I think that all comments left by Tzach are now addressed.

Here's how the content is now organized:

• The menu in the left sidebar is removed.

• New to ScyllaDB? Start here! is presented as a button. Also, the search box is removed (we already have a search bar in the right corner, so this one was redundant). All that for better visibility.

• Later on, we can improve the design and position of the button with David's help. I've used what is available now.
  

• The pages are grouped under a new Get Started with ScyllaDB page. It will enable us to add pages that don't belong to Getting Started in the future if needed.

• We can have another iteration to improve it. For example, the "ScyllaDB Documentation" label is not necessary here. But I think we can release as is.
  

[annastuchlik]

I've skipped the critical information: the button now takes you to https://docs.scylladb.com/stable/. After this PR is merged, I'll open another one to replace it with https://docs.scylladb.com/stable/get-started, as the URL doesn't exist yet.

[timkoopmans]

Minor issues with some links, as discussed in person.

Happy with this version, thank you.

[annastuchlik]

@tzach Tim and I are done reviewing. I've also asked @zseta and @danielhe4rt to have a final look at the driver-related pages.
Can you re-review and let us know if you think the PR can be merged?

[tzach]

Nice progress.
Few more comments

[tzach]

Scylla does not support foreign keys.
We are highlighting a Scylla deficiency here.

[tzach]

On a second thougt, I suggest to drop the entire section of (De)Normalization
Its better fit in a blog post, and its is not a must in the getting started section

[annastuchlik]

@timkoopmans, I'm removing the section @tzach is referring to, especially since it includes incorrect information. He's got a point - (de)normalization may not be the best fit for Getting Started, but we can add something else to this page later on.

[zseta]

Good work!