Re: which is better- storing data as array or json?

On Tue, Feb 17, 2015 at 9:00 PM, zach cruise <zachc1980(at)gmail(dot)com> wrote:

> i can't keep creating tables

​Where did you get this idea?​

or adding columns

​Of course not...​

every time i need to
> add a nickname- this happens a lot.
>
>
​OK​...

> so i want to put everything in an array or json.
>
>
​Those are not the only two solutions...​

remember rows can have different number of nicknames.
>

​Which is why you setup a "one-to-many (optional)" relationship between two
tables; the first table's row (i.e., person)​ can have many related rows
(i.e., nicknames) on the second table.

​Each nickname a person has is represented by a single row on the
"person-nickname" table with whatever attributes you wish to keep track
of. New nickname means you add a new row - just like you would add a new
array item to your JSON model.

If you need a truly dynamic representation (i.e, you do not know what
nickname attributes you want to keep track of - like visibility and order
as already shown - or want to allow users to add their own) you'd have to
go with JSON (or add an hstore column to the nickname table); the array
will not get you want you need​

​because multi-dimensional arrays are not a solution.

The solution proposed solves the "variable number of nicknames per person"
need that you describe. If there are other constraints you are dealing
with you need to list them.​​

​
​David J.​