It’s all legal including the massive amout of corporate Socialism required to unfuck this.

There is no right answer. The only hard rule i have is that if it only requires key-value pairs keep it real simple. I use a variety of databases and things I can used as a database. One project uses Google sheets. Another uses a bunch of CSVs on a NAS as document oriented type database. And then there are the usuals; SQLite, MySQL, PostgreSQL, Mongo, and some god awful MS Azure crap that uses KQL.

“During the gold rush, sells shovels model” Is a perfect analogy. It worse, OpenAi and similar companies don’t find using any sluice machines profitable. It is basically a gold rush were even the big operations don’t want to be involved with anything, other than selling shovels. This bubble is going to burst and there is an unimaginable about of money invested if this scam.

Don’t. Unless you are confident you are not adding hot garbage to the code base.