But what does it actually mean for a database to be well-designed? A well-designed database enforces data integrityĭata integrity refers to the overall accuracy, completeness, and consistency of the data in your database a well-designed database maintains data integrity by implementing the processes and standards proposed during the design phase.ĭata integrity includes three specific technical aspects of a relational database’s structure: So clearly, good database design is important when trying to build a database that works for you. Fortunately, there are several design principles you can follow that will help you build better databases. You could build a house without first finalizing the blueprints, but in doing so, you might end up with a house of questionable structural integrity similarly, taking some time to think carefully about the design of your relational database before implementing it can save you a lot of trouble in the long run.Īll this might seem daunting if you’ve only just begun learning about relational databases, or even if you’ve already built a couple of databases and encountered some challenges. The best database is one that you don’t have to worry about.
With a consistent, logical database structure (that avoids duplicate fields and tables), it’s much easier to query your database.