Final answer:
The key difference is that a persistent data store retains data even after the application ends or the system reboots, while a non-persistent data store holds data only temporarily during an active session.
Step-by-step explanation:
The difference between a persistent and non-persistent data store pertains to the longevity and durability of the data stored within them. A persistent data store is designed to maintain data across sessions and beyond the lifespan of the process or application that created it. This means that even in the event of a system reboot or failure, the data remains intact and can be accessed once the system is back online. Persistent data stores are used for permanent data storage, and examples include databases, file systems, and cloud storage services.
In contrast, a non-persistent data store only retains data temporarily, typically during a single session or while the application that created it is still running. Once the process ends or the system shuts down, the data in a non-persistent data store is lost. Non-persistent storage is commonly used for caching, session data, and temporary computations that do not require long-term durability. An analogy to these concepts might be the persistence of objects in the physical world — while we might not currently perceive them (such as when not looking at them), the belief in persistent data stores is analogous to believing that the floor outside a room or a car in a parking lot continues to exist regardless of our observation.