B5 - Object Oriented Databases

Object Oriented Databases

Object oriented databases is a database where information is represented as objects. Now, for someone with little to no experience with databases like me, this makes almost no sense. To try and get a better understanding of object oriented databases, one must understand relational databases. A relational database can be thought of multiple tables of data that are linked together to produce comprehensive sets of data. 

Object oriented databases were developed in the 1980s because it was thought that relational databases were not the best solution in some instances. For example, if there is an object in a relational database, the information about this object must be scattered over several tables which can be convoluted. An object oriented database can have information about very complex objects in a single table because the information can be nested within. You can think of this as folders within folders. This has advantages over relational databases in that it is better at modelling complex objects and can have better performance. 

Object oriented databases are of particular usefulness for the construction industry. Complex objects can have all of their information stored in one database and is easier to manage. For instance, you could have a database of windows. Then within that have different types, and then within each type you could have the size. Within each size you could have the manufacturers who make that window, and then within that you could have all of the data about that exact window, such as price, R-value, etc. This is much easier than having all of this information scattered in different areas. 

Sources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Object_database

http://www.25hoursaday.com/whyarentyouusinganoodbms.html

http://www.odbms.org/introduction-to-odbms/definition/

https://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~fms27/db/tr-98-2.pdf

Comments

David Sanchez: I could definitely see how databases could be used to more accurately and more quickly be used to estimate costs in the construction industry. Also, as you pointed out, another advantage is that if there is an error, the correction that is applied will update things across the board. 

Brennan Connolly: I really liked your explanation of the difference between relational and object oriented databases, it definitely makes it easier to understand the difference. You airplane analogy also makes it easy to understand what an object oriented database is. 

Paulina Gawor: I am very new to databases and your explanation of SQL certainly helped me understand what it is a little better. You pointed out that SQL can be used to obtain information from a relational database, but that has me wondering what can be used to obtain information from an object oriented database. I will have to look into that.