title: Could I forgo a database and store all records as "variables" in a node server?
body: <p>I have this node.js program:    </p>
  
  <pre><code>var x=0;
  
  require('http').createServer(function (request, response) {
  
      response.writeHead(200, { "Content-Type": "text/html" });
      x++;
  
      response.end(x+"");
  
  }).listen(PORT, ipAddress) 
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>I was thinking---why not store all usernames and passwords and everything under the sun as variables outside of the server? Then I wouldn't need a database. I'm a huge beginner when it comes to node. Is this something people do? Are there downsides?</p>