Database Conventions

[twcmad]

Hi all,

Just wondering if there is any standards when it comes to database structure, in terms of table names fields quries and alike.

Have to develop a project and the boss doesn't like my current method. Have been told there is a standard, any ideas ?

Thanks

[laserlight]

Database structure would normally be normalised 😃
Though in some cases it may not be convenient or the best solution to do so.

I believe there is an SQL standard, but no RDMS is 100% compliant.
So if your RDMS isnt likely to change, you can use its dialect of SQL.

I havent heard of any standard naming standards for SQL, but then I havent read any SQL standard either.
The one I follow is adopted from the one I use in C/C++/PHP: concise lower case names, with words separated by underscores as needed.
For queries, I capitalise all keywords, which separates them from the table/field names which are, as mentioned, in lower case.

If you're the lead/sole developer (or hold some sort of leadership position), cant you simply define your company's coding standard, then submit it to the boss for approval?
Future developers can then read this documented internal standard, and from there understand the company's code much more easily.

[PurpleMonkey]

Sometimes its done like the following:

tblCompanyDetails (table)
tblNumberElephants

dbMyStuff (database)
dbUsers

and queries can be named as following:

qrGetElephants
qrRemoveElephants

Although this is only really done with Access databases that I've seen.