Best Database Design Practices
Databases are core elements of applications and computers, they store all the important data that is required to run software applications. There is always a database, or in some cases, multiple databases that work behind the scene to keep applications functional. You can think of databases as warehouses of information, where tonnes of related information is sorted and stored in a structural manner to make it easily searchable and accessible for use.
This makes database design an important step of developing a software and it is essential that developers design a database that is efficient. So why does database design matter and what is a ‘good’ database design? Let’s find out in this article.
Why Does Database Design Matter?
For example, think of an online clothing store’s website where you want to order a shirt from. Now the process of ordering a shirt from this website may seem simple but there is a lot of exchange of information involved. Such as, when you first browse the website it shows you a list of their product categories and all the available products, their prices, available sizes, colours, and all the other relevant information. The website retrieves this data from the database in which it is stored. When you select an item of your choice and proceed to purchase it, the website asks you for your personal details, shipping address, payment details, and confirms your order. Now the new data produced in this process such as customer details, order details, purchase and payment, is added and updated in the same database.
Database design matters because it is essential for building software applications that are scalable and capable of performing during high workload. To work on database design, it is important to select a database software first. Now there are hundreds of database software available that you can use to build applications. You can choose from some of the best free database software out there. The next step is to design your database to meet your requirements and here are the 10 best database design practices for you.
Take Everyone’s Perspective into Account
To design a good database, it is essential to keep in mind every stakeholder’s perspective. Gather input from them before building a database to know what they expect from a database and how skilled they are in working with one. This will give an idea about how technical your database should be and if you will have to train users about its features.
Speaking about a good database, MongoDB tutorials can make complex tasks easy and working with information straightforward.
Select a Database Type That Fits Your Needs
There are multiple types of databases and to select the right type is a crucial part of database designing. You can categorize database types in two ways. First, based on the query language that a database uses to define and manipulate the data. Databases that use SQL are most popular for structured data. Whereas, NoSQL databases are better for machine learning, web analytics, and IoT (Internet of Things) because of features such as higher scalability, flexibility, and speed.
The other way to categorize databases is based on data models. There are 4 types of Database: Relational Database, hierarchical Database, Network Database and Object-Oriented Database.
It is an essential preliminary step to research about the different types of databases and select a type that best fits your application’s needs.
Define and Label Tables and Columns Consistently
When defining data items and labelling tables and columns, it is important to follow a consistent method. This will help you understand your data better. One of the best practices to name tables and columns is to give it a simple name that defines the data it contains. For example, simply labelling a column containing the name of your customers as ‘CustomerName’.
You should also avoid using plural names (e.g. CustomerNames), abbreviations (e.g. CN), and you should not use spaces in the name (e.g. Customer Name). If you are consistent with these rules it will be easier for future users to use the database.
Normalisation Is Key
Normalization of a database stands for the process of organizing all the information within the database to avoid data replication and redundancy. In simple terms, normalization means to distribute the data into multiple smaller related tables instead of storing all the data in one large table.
It is a good database design practice to normalize data for efficiency. However, make sure not to over-normalize because then it will distribute your data into too many smaller tables, making everything confusing.
Documentation of Database Design Is Important
Let’s be honest, documentation isn’t anyone’s favourite thing to do because it seems so annoying. But remember, documentation is essential for good database design because it keeps track of all the little details. Your database design should be documented with instructions, ER diagrams, stored procedures and all the other relevant information. The documentation should provide enough information to programmers and end-users that they can understand how to use it.
Privacy Is a Primary Concern
A lot of the times, the information stored in databases is confidential and privacy is a valid concern. For maximum security, you should encrypt your passwords, restrict database access using authentication, and use a different server for database than your application. This will ensure that your data remains secure from attack and breach of privacy.
Think of Long-Term Needs
Good database design is a scalable one, which means that it can endure high workload and keep the application running even if the usage is increased. For businesses that expect a change in their workload, it is important to keep this in mind when designing a database. For example, if an e-commerce website expects the number of visitors to increase drastically in a month when sales are going to be high, then this should be taken into account in the database design process so that the database can accommodate increasing visitors and endure the high workload.
Code and Use Stored Procedures
Not using stored procedures is a common database design mistake. Stored procedures are prepared codes that come handy when you have to manipulate the data. For example, if there is a SQL query that you use often, then to make your task easier you can code that query into a stored procedure instead of writing it over and over again. Once you have the stored procedure, you can simply execute it to run the SQL query in one easy step.
Coding a number of stored procedures can be a tiring job, but if you spend the time doing it and document them then it can make using a database easier for end users.
Spend Time on Database Modelling and Design
A pro tip for designing a good database is to invest time and effort in database modelling and design. Developers often make the mistake of ignoring this step to save time and focus on other more important aspects of software development. However, database design is essential to ensure the functionality of an application. If you save time by not thinking carefully about the design, then it will cause you more time in maintenance and redesigning in the future.
Test Your Design
Testing is also a very crucial step of database designing that is often overlooked or skipped altogether in a hurry to deliver applications within the deadline. You should spend time testing your database design thoroughly before releasing the project to make sure that all the planned requirements are met and it is functional.
Choosing the right type of database, using consistent names and labels, normalization, documentation, and testing, are key to designing a good database.