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views:

49

answers:

1
+2  Q: 

Database Design: Why do some ecommerce database have separate tables for products and product_variants?

Hi

Why do some ecommerce database have tables:

  1. product
  2. product_variant

Why not only one product table with all teh fields of product_variant and is_default_product(bool) field?

Thanks

+2  A: 

This is called Slowly Changing Dimension

There are some approaches to implementing it which have their benefits and drawbacks.

Solution with two tables allows easier referencing to products (as opposed to product versions) from other tables.

Quassnoi  2010-05-27 15:14:01
Can you please give example for more easier referencing to products from other tables?
Yosef  2010-05-27 17:00:10

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