Best Practices: How To Design a Database¶

A database is nothing more than a mass of information stored in a framework that makes it easier to search.

Everything else is just details. If a database works well, bits of related information are filed automatically and details can be pulled out needed.

It should be simple to draw new meaning from data by compiling it into reports and visualizations, then storing away those facts for later use.

Within that simple definition, there is infinite variation. Small decisions in the beginning have a huge cumulative impact.

Follow these guidelines to avoid common missteps that can affect software down the road.

Appendix: Links¶