Lists vs Document Libraries in Sharepoint

Difference between Lists and Document Libraries in Sharepoint

S.No	Lists	Document Libraries
1	Description: The SharePoint lists are like SQL Data Tables and these List stores the same kind of content.The List contains the list fields, list properties and list columns. In simple terms, List stores data in table structure.	Description: The SharePoint Library is a collection of files and it stores the documents and contains Library Fields, Library Properties and Library Columns. In simple terms, Library stores document/files.
2	Templates provided by Lists: Announcements Calendar Contacts Tasks	Templates provided by Libraries: Document library Form Library Picture library Slide library
3	Whether it can have attachments ? Can have attachments	Whether it can have attachments ? Cannot have attachments (files are directly in the library)
4	Whether it can have Major version or Minor version or both ? Have major versions only	Whether it can have Major version or Minor version or both ? Have both minor (draft) and major (published) versioning
5	Whether it has Check-in / Check-out features ? Does not have Check-in/Check-out features	Have both minor (draft) and major (published) versioning ? Have Unique Document Ids out of the box
6	Where it is the right choice ? Use Lists for data, for example, a database record.	Where it is the right choice ? Use Library for storing documents.
7	Multi-line txt Columns: Plain txt, Rich txt OR Enhanced Rich Txt .	Multi-line txt Columns: No Choices - Default to Rich txt Unlimited length.
8	Customize Forms: InfoPath 2010 AND Sharepoint Designer (SPD).	Customize Forms: NO INFOPATH Customize in SPD Form Library - Attach form, Could be InfoPath Form.
9	Whether we can create folder in Lists ? We cannot create a folder in list.	Whether we can create folder in Document Libraries ? We can create a folder in document library.
10	What operation we can perform in Lists ? With a list we only can perform SPAttachmentCollection.Add(string, byte) -only accepting a byte , means the attachment must fit entirely in one continuous block memory. It this is something you do with large file , your server memory may become fragmented.	What operation we can perform in Document Libraries ? With a document library we can perform SPFileCollection.add(string, stream) – The document library Accept a stream, means the content can be in memory, or disk or even a TCP/IP socket.
11	What is the result returned when the user searches for a keyword in a document ? When the user searches for a keyword in a document , if the document is in a list then search returns the list item as the result.	What is the result returned when the user searches for a keyword in a document ? When the user searches for a keyword in a document , if the document is in a library then they find the document listed in the search results.

Summary:

1. List: Think in term of MS Excel and MS Access database; which store only data and not (Physical) file.
2. Library: Think in terms of folder in your computer which store only files/images/pdf/media files.
3. Both list and library support Event handler and Workflow like features.
4. SharePoint libraries are a list of files.But have one and exactly one file associated with each item.
   
   

References:

http://sharepoint.stackexchange.com/questions/34423/sharepoint-lists-vs-sharepoint-libraries

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/6757648/sharepoint-list-vs-library-developer-point-of-view

http://sharepoint.mindsharpblogs.com/Tamara/Lists/Posts/Post.aspx?List=6b8cb3e7-0f6d-4587-8521-0f99ffc8b6dc&ID=28

http://spointthoughts.blogspot.in/2012/06/what-is-difference-between.html

http://www.sharepointblog.co.uk/2012/04/differences-between-sharepoint-lists-and-document-libraries/

http://sharepointside.blogspot.in/2010/12/difference-between-sharepoint-document.html

http://www.sharepointdotnet.com/2011/12/what-are-basic-difference-between-list_06.html