Do i need a database ?

[mojito]

Do i need a database ?
Hi this is a question about best practise I guess.

I would like to know if I can take a form and provided it checks the data I would like to produce an XML file straight away. I want to skip the database step.

Are there any things wrong with this method. The xml is going to be used to populate a flash front end and it doesnt care how the xml is created it just needs to be strict format / correct

Have you done this ? I have always used a db myself.

[Nameless12]

Try to make your code so it does not care what data it gets as long as it is an array. If you need the data source in an object just use an abstract class.

Files are good for somethings and databases are good for others. What you need to understand is that a file is its self is a data base and the difference between that and say msql and mysql and pgsql is these are relational databases.

The question should be do I need a relational database and you should look up the features to do with this and if the answer is yes.

Also once your data goes over a certain size the proper relational databases become faster than xml databases. xml databases suck in that you open the whole file where as the databases make lots of different files so it only gets the data it needs.

Just look into triggers\views\stored procedures\joins\transactions\data integrity and normalization for more info. And regardless your system should have the option of adding a database.

If you need a fast, small portable alternative there is always sqlite that is create for storing things like configs

[mojito]

Thanks for that informative reply, I feel I can use a file only system with confidence now.
I will take a look at sqlite as well, thanks