How to Design a Robust Database Model for a User Feedback System?

Proper Database Model for a User Feedback System

When designing a database structure, it's crucial to consider the integrity of the data and the efficiency of operations. In the case of a user feedback system, the database model should cater to the following requirements:

• Multiple participants can join an event.
• Each participant can provide feedback for every other participant in the same event, except themselves.
• The system should prevent duplicate feedback and duplicate participation in events.

Flawed Approach

The database model presented in the question introduces redundant information by encoding unique IDs within the primary keys of the Participant and Feedback tables. This approach violates the principle of "dumb keys," which advocates for using atomic values (e.g., integers) as primary keys.

Improved Solution

A better approach is to use a composite primary key that combines a unique ID for the participant or feedback record with the event ID. This ensures uniqueness and prevents duplicate participation or feedback.

CREATE TABLE Participant (
    id INT AUTO_INCREMENT,
    user_id INT,
    event_id INT,
    PRIMARY KEY (id)
);

CREATE TABLE Feedback (
    id INT AUTO_INCREMENT,
    sender_id INT,
    recipient_id INT,
    event_id INT,
    PRIMARY KEY (id),
    FOREIGN KEY (sender_id, recipient_id, event_id) REFERENCES Participant (id)
);

Advantages of the Improved Solution

• Simplicity: The primary keys are generated automatically and consist of simple numeric values, eliminating the need for concatenation.
• Integrity: The composite primary key enforces data integrity by uniquely identifying each entry and preventing duplicate participation or feedback.
• Query Efficiency: The use of a composite primary key allows for efficient querying based on event ID and participant ID.

Conclusion

While the proposed solution may appear complex, it provides a robust and efficient database model for a user feedback system. It adheres to best practices for database design and ensures the integrity and performance of the database.

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