"Just upload a CSV", says the developer to the scared little product manager. Sure, it may be easier for any script to parse a CSV…
Database schema data-type consistency
Data-type consistency is not a concern with database schema design alone, it of course applies to any code you write, especially in a "strong typed"…
SQLite dates and JavaScript formatting
If I were to guess, I'd say that at least 50% of all database tables I create for any system contain a timestamp field. I…
The right kind of database backup
Depending on the arrangement with your data center or hosting provider, they may offer you some form of "off-server" backup. In some cases, you identify…
Where have all the binaries gone?
When I say "binaries", I'm not referring to a binary file, but rather a programmer who is familiar with, and uses base 2 in practice.…
Client-side data storage – Web SQL or IndexedDB
This was probably the most difficult decision I've ever had to make as far as mobile development goes, do I go with Web SQL or…
Don’t forget about Base 2
We've all gotten so used to high-level programming that we often forget about how compact and clean machine code really is. Wait a minute, let's…
MySQL Union All – Unexpected behavior
I don't use the UNION ALL SQL keyword all that often. In most cases, I'm happy with UNION, which merges duplicate rows. Today, for this…
Storing last login date as a marketing tool
If you're not already tracking your users' last login date in your database, you might want to consider it. The storage space footprint is minimal,…
SQL – Select a random row / record
I've seen many posts on this topic, but none of the seem to account for the fact that your primary key may not start at…