InceptionDB's New Feature: Defaults

Published on 2024-05-20 23:33:26.741333818 +0000 UTC

InceptionDB databases no-sql

InceptionDB, a versatile NoSQL database similar to MongoDB, now includes a powerful new feature: "Defaults". This feature allows users to define default values for new documents within a collection, streamlining data entry and ensuring consistency.

The "Defaults" feature in InceptionDB simplifies document creation by automatically populating fields with predefined values. This reduces the need for repetitive data entry and helps maintain data integrity. Users can specify default values for any field in a collection, ensuring that new documents adhere to a consistent structure.

How to Use Defaults

To define default values for a collection, users must specify the desired defaults in the collection schema. For example:

{
  "name": "my_collection",
  "defaults": {
    "status": "pending",
    "created_at": "2023-01-01T00:00:00Z",
    "is_active": true
  }
}

When a new document is added to "my_collection" without specifying these fields, InceptionDB will automatically fill them with the provided defaults.

Practical Use Case: User registration

In a user registration system, you can set default values for fields such as status ("pending"), created_at (current timestamp), and is_active (true). This ensures all new users have a consistent initial state.

{
  "username": "johndoe",
  "email": "johndoe@example.com"
}

This document will be stored as:

{
  "username": "johndoe",
  "email": "johndoe@example.com",
  "status": "pending",
  "created_at": "2023-01-01T00:00:00Z",
  "is_active": true
}

Pactical Use Case: Inventory Management

For an inventory system, set default values for fields such as quantity (0), location ("warehouse"), and status ("in stock"). This helps in tracking items consistently without manual entry for each field.

{
  "item_name": "Widget A",
  "sku": "WGT-A"
}

The resulting document:

{
  "item_name": "Widget A",
  "sku": "WGT-A",
  "quantity": 0,
  "location": "warehouse",
  "status": "in stock"
}

Practical Use Case: Logging and Auditing

In systems where logging actions are critical, default fields like log_level ("info"), timestamp (current time), and user ("system") can be set to ensure every log entry is complete and standardized.

{
  "event": "user_login"
}

Transformed document:

{
  "event": "user_login",
  "log_level": "info",
  "timestamp": "2023-01-01T00:00:00Z",
  "user": "system"
}

Benefits

Consistency: Ensures that all documents within a collection have a consistent set of fields, reducing the chances of missing data.
Efficiency: Reduces the need for developers to manually set common fields, speeding up development and reducing errors.
Data Integrity: Automatically applied defaults help maintain data integrity by ensuring critical fields are always populated.

The "Defaults" feature in InceptionDB significantly enhances the user experience by providing a straightforward way to manage default values in your collections. By automating the inclusion of standard fields, it helps maintain consistency and integrity across your datasets.

For more details, refer to the Defaults documentation and the comprehensive InceptionDB documentation.