Re: Testing relational databases

AndrewMcDonagh wrote:

> JXStern wrote:

>> I don't get it, why is the book title "Refactoring Databases" if it's
>> mostly about testing?

What technique, beginning with R, should you never do without unit tests?

> Unfortunately, the majority of uses of RDBMs is to only persist
> mission-critical data. The vast majority of development done with dbms
> that I've come across (from all sizes of company - startups - medium -
> large multinational corps) have all done the same.
>
> Lots of tables, several referential constraints, a fair few uniqueness
> constraints, and db links and a sprinkling of joins.
>
> As for business logic that could be modeled using the RM, its tended to be
> either in the 'application' code base (C++, Java, etc) or as stored
> procedures.
>
> So, whilst Scott may have made a better impression with the guys over in
> c.d.t he can certainly help the rest of the RDBM users.... and lets face
> it - there's more of them.

I thought the book was going to be about making sure you can refactor a database while maintaining an upgrade path from the last design to the next one, so your customers don't need to data-enter all their data again, once per new version.

Put another way, the decision to refactor the database should be made at-whim, without regard to any up-front design. Otherwise the data design will be timid, like you said, or will be crufty.

-- 
  Phlip
  http://c2.com/cgi/wiki?ZeekLand <-- NOT a blog!!!