How do you save your dropdown multiple values in DB

Question

Hi, 
 I have a question: 
 When you have some multiple dropdowns (with items stored in reference table), do you always store your data in 2 different tables ? a first table for the data source, and another table to save the multiple values and make the link with the first table. 
 I have already seen, multiple values stored in a single table with concatened values to store the keys in a text field, but unfortunately, this seems not a good way because of the DB foreign key constraints missing. 
 Regards

Mike Schmitt · Answer

Storing a string of relational values is a potential "quick and easy" solution when one is required. I recommend that instead of reinventing the wheel, anyone who does it this way should instead cast their array of IDs as a JSON string, then write the JSON to the database. Of course there are still things to worry about such as whether any entries might plausibly grow beyond the column text size you define, as well as the lack of foreign keys which you already mentioned. Overall I think the strongest, most scalable and most error proof method is to use the 2-table approach - but this all depends on your own requirements and the target audience.

How do you save your dropdown multiple values in DB

Top Replies