All Questions
Tagged with database database-design
972
questions
422
votes
10
answers
104k
views
Is storing a delimited list in a database column really that bad?
Imagine a web form with a set of check boxes (any or all of them can be selected). I chose to save them in a comma separated list of values stored in one column of the database table.
Now, I know ...
- 18.5k
163
votes
1
answer
165k
views
How to implement a many-to-many relationship in PostgreSQL?
I believe the title is self-explanatory. How do you create the table structure in PostgreSQL to make a many-to-many relationship.
My example:
Product(name, price);
Bill(name, date, Products);
- 20.4k
116
votes
6
answers
72k
views
What is database normalisation/normalization? [closed]
What is database normalization and how does it help?
Does it apply to anything outside of databases?
- 13.6k
195
votes
19
answers
90k
views
Surrogate vs. natural/business keys [closed]
Here we go again, the old argument still arises...
Would we better have a business key as a primary key, or would we rather have a surrogate id (i.e. an SQL Server identity) with a unique constraint ...
- 11.3k
413
votes
17
answers
342k
views
Should each and every table have a primary key?
I'm creating a database table and I don't have a logical primary key assigned to it. Should each and every table have a primary key?
- 42.3k
885
votes
15
answers
522k
views
What's the difference between identifying and non-identifying relationships?
I haven't been able to fully grasp the differences. Can you describe both concepts and use real world examples?
- 9,532
566
votes
40
answers
129k
views
Database development mistakes made by application developers [closed]
What are common database development mistakes made by application developers?
341
votes
4
answers
133k
views
What does character set and collation mean exactly?
I can read the MySQL documentation and it's pretty clear. But, how does one decide which character set to use? On what data does collation have an effect?
I'm asking for an explanation of the two and ...
- 73.9k
479
votes
12
answers
1.1m
views
Can I have multiple primary keys in a single table?
Can I have multiple primary keys in a single table?
vaithi
924
votes
23
answers
733k
views
Database, Table and Column Naming Conventions? [closed]
Whenever I design a database, I always wonder if there is a best way of naming an item in my database. Quite often I ask myself the following questions:
Should table names be plural?
Should column ...
- 75.3k
19
votes
4
answers
26k
views
How are super- and subtype relationships in ER diagrams represented as tables?
I am learning how to interpret Entity Relationship Diagrams into SQL DDL statements and I am confused by differences in notation. Consider a disjoint relationship as in the following diagram:
Would ...
- 322
297
votes
4
answers
252k
views
What are database normal forms and can you give examples? [closed]
In relational database design, there is a concept of database normalization or simply normalization, which is a process of organizing columns (attributes) and tables (relations) to reduce data ...
- 28k
280
votes
38
answers
131k
views
What's wrong with foreign keys?
I remember hearing Joel Spolsky mention in podcast 014 that he'd barely ever used a foreign key (if I remember correctly). However, to me they seem pretty vital to avoid duplication and subsequent ...
12
votes
3
answers
8k
views
How to create multiple one to one's
I have a database set up with many tables and it all looks good apart from one bit...
Inventory Table <*-----1> Storage Table <1-----1> Van Table
^
...
- 315
222
votes
15
answers
185k
views
Strings as Primary Keys in MYSQL Database [closed]
I am not very familiar with databases and the theories behind how they work. Is it any slower from a performance standpoint (inserting/updating/querying) to use Strings for Primary Keys than integers?...
- 14k