Re: Lookup tables

From: Adrian Klaver <adrian(dot)klaver(at)aklaver(dot)com>
To: Ron Johnson <ronljohnsonjr(at)gmail(dot)com>, pgsql-general <pgsql-general(at)postgresql(dot)org>
Subject: Re: Lookup tables
Date: 2025-02-04 16:06:00
Message-ID: ba9a951a-d910-4ae0-acd6-dda853e18da4@aklaver.com
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On 2/4/25 07:19, Ron Johnson wrote:

> How big is the database?  A tiny 500MB db just for you can get by with
> poor design.  (But then, why are you using PG instead of SQLite?)

For the reasons listed here:

https://sqlite.org/quirks.html

In particular:

[...]

2. SQLite Is Embedded, Not Client-Server

3. Flexible Typing

SQLite is flexible with regard to datatypes. Datatypes are advisory
rather than mandatory.

4. Foreign Key Enforcement Is Off By Default

[...]

>
> More importantly, will you ever update the descriptions?  Of course not!
> Famous last words.  Having a separate PK means that you update one row
> in one column, while what you've done means that tens/hundreds of
> thousands of rows in possibly dozens of tables need to be updated.
>
> It also means that *you* can easily change things in your ad hoc
> database *without forgetting* to update a table.
>
> This is called an "update anomaly" in relational design theory.
>
> --
> Death to <Redacted>, and butter sauce.
> Don't boil me, I'm still alive.
> <Redacted> lobster!

--
Adrian Klaver
adrian(dot)klaver(at)aklaver(dot)com

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