Why You Should Replace Your Booleans With Timestamps

Summary

In this video, Kyle discusses the unconventional approach of storing booleans as timestamps in databases, highlighting its advantages and disadvantages. The primary benefit is enhanced debugging and analytics, as timestamps provide context on when actions occurred, enabling time-based queries. However, this method significantly increases storage requirements and adds complexity to the code. While it can be beneficial for larger applications where tracking changes is crucial, it may not be necessary for smaller projects. The video emphasizes weighing the trade-offs between data tracking and the associated costs in storage and coding complexity.

Takeaways

• 🛠️ Storing booleans as timestamps can enhance debugging and analytics by providing time data for actions like email verification.
• 📅 With timestamps, you can query actions based on time, such as retrieving users who verified their email in the last 30 days.
• 🔄 Using timestamps allows for easier rollback of specific changes without losing other data in the database.
• 💾 The downside of using timestamps is increased storage space; timestamps require more bytes compared to simple booleans.
• ⚖️ In PostgreSQL, a boolean takes 1 byte, while a timestamp can take between 4 to 8 bytes, significantly increasing data size in large tables.
• ⚙️ Implementing this method may involve additional coding, especially in ORM (Object-Relational Mapping) systems like Drizzle.
• ❓ Checking whether a user has verified their email requires converting timestamps back into boolean values, adding complexity.
• 🧑‍💻 A simple function can be used in Drizzle to check if a timestamp is not null and return a boolean.
• 📈 For enterprise-level applications, the benefits of tracking timestamps may outweigh the costs in space and complexity.
• 🤔 For smaller applications, using simple booleans might suffice if tracking the timing of state changes isn't critical.

Q & A

What is the main idea behind storing booleans as timestamps in a database?

The main idea is to replace traditional boolean values with timestamps to track when a certain event occurred, such as when a user verified their email. This approach offers advantages for debugging and analytics.

What are the benefits of using timestamps instead of booleans?

Using timestamps allows for more detailed tracking of events. For instance, you can query for users who verified their emails within a specific timeframe, aiding in debugging and analysis.

What is a significant downside to storing booleans as timestamps?

The primary downside is the increased storage space required. While a boolean typically takes 1 byte, a timestamp can take 4 to 8 bytes, leading to substantial data size increases in large databases.

In what scenarios might storing booleans as timestamps be advisable?

This approach is advisable in enterprise-level applications where tracking the timing of changes is important. In smaller applications, simpler boolean storage may be more appropriate.

How does Kyle demonstrate implementing timestamps in his example?

Kyle uses a drizzle implementation where he sets a timestamp field to indicate when a user verified their email. He shows how to check if this timestamp is null or not to determine the boolean status.

What extra coding is required when using timestamps instead of booleans?

Extra coding is needed to check if the timestamp is null, which requires using functions to convert the timestamp back to a boolean representation for easier handling in the code.

Why might someone choose to stick with traditional boolean values?

Someone might choose traditional boolean values for simplicity and to save on storage space, especially if tracking the exact timing of changes isn't critical for their application.

What factors should developers consider when deciding whether to use timestamps?

Developers should consider the scale of their data, the importance of tracking timing for debugging or analytics, and the potential impact on storage costs.

How can timestamps help in troubleshooting bugs in the code?

Timestamps provide a historical record of when certain actions were taken, allowing developers to isolate and review changes during specific periods, which can assist in identifying the source of bugs.

What conclusion does Kyle reach about the use of timestamps in databases?

Kyle concludes that while storing booleans as timestamps has clear benefits for certain applications, it requires weighing the extra storage cost and complexity against the advantages gained, especially in smaller projects.