> -----Original Message----- > From: sqlite-users-boun...@sqlite.org [mailto:sqlite-users- > boun...@sqlite.org] On Behalf Of Shorty > Sent: 12 October 2011 09:31 > > -- HERE IS MY QUESTION: -- > Is faster for the sqlite database to have the grocery_type as a string or > integer? > Or is the speed difference so small it doesn't matter? > > Like instead of having "fruit" in the grocery_type column, I could have it as a > "1" type, vegetables would be "2", and then translate that just before > spitting out the table to my web page. >
I think that the sorting itself would be faster with an integer rather than string. However, with the small number of items that you mention here the difference would probably be immeasurably small. Also, if you were to use an integer it would, as you mention, have to later be converted to a string which also takes time. Generally, I go with the ease of use (i.e. use a meaningful string rather than an integer) unless it is a database where performance or storage space is an issue, which could be an another advantage of using integers with reference to a lookup table of strings, if e.g. your database contains other large tables with many records referring to these fruits, vegetables or other items. It's somewhat similar to the issue with dates. You can store them as Julian numbers which is more effective, but then you have the hassle of having to use date function in the select statement for the result to be meaningful. Thus, unless there is a storage or performance issue I just store the dates as strings, e.g. '2011-10-12'. /Frank Missel _______________________________________________ sqlite-users mailing list sqlite-users@sqlite.org http://sqlite.org:8080/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/sqlite-users
