More stupid database tricks

<silly>

27. We tried classic schemas, but change management of the schema was just too difficult. Here's what we do, instead:

We store everything inside a single table, with just four columns, named object_id, attribute_id, type_code, and string_val. The primary key is object_id, attribute_id.

Whenever we need to know the value of an attribute, we just look it up in the table, and then cast the string_val according to the type_code.

Now our metadata is just as flexible as our data. And the programmers love it!
</silly>
Received on Wed Aug 03 2005 - 08:24:49 CDT