database design

database design

Maybe Normalizing Isn't Normal

One of the items we're struggling with now on Stack Overflow is how to maintain near-instantaneous performance levels in a relational database as the amount of data increases. More specifically, how to scale our tagging system. Traditional database design principles tell you that well-designed databases are always normalized,

By Jeff Atwood ·
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uuids

Primary Keys: IDs versus GUIDs

Long-time readers of this blog know that I have an inordinate fondness for GUIDs. Each globally unique ID is like a beautiful snowflake: every one a unique item waiting to be born. Perhaps that’s why I read with great interest recent accounts of people switching their database tables from

By Jeff Atwood ·
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