Is it safe to use SharePoint lists as a database?

Short Answer

SharePoint lists are not databases. At scale, structured data should live in SQL, Dataverse, or other relational systems.

Key Issues

• Performance degradation with thousands of items
• Limited query and aggregation capabilities
• Workflow and automation throttling
• High maintenance and risk of data loss

Recommended Approach

1. Keep documents and metadata in SharePoint.
2. Move structured data to relational systems for large-scale operations.
3. Use APIs to connect SharePoint UI with external databases.

Final Answer

SharePoint lists are great for collaboration, but they are not a replacement for a database at scale.

“Lists store collaboration data; databases store structured data. Mixing them without architecture planning creates risk.”