To save business-related data (such as sales orders, supplier master data, financial bookings etc.), relational databases (RDBMS) are still the best solution. RDBMS's keep data in fixed table formats, whereas entire table columns can be referenced to each other. E.F. Codd published the basics for his relation model in the USA in 1970.
Each table line (record) can be seen as a single punch card or as a row in an Excel spreadsheet. The design of stable data structures addresses especially after avoiding redundant data, as well as after reducing maintenance efforts for application programs (conversion into the third normal form).
After Rebecca Wirfs-Brock and her CRC method (Classes, Collaborations,
Responsibilities), object-oriented design is mainly about modeling data entities
(classes) additionally to their connections (collaborations) to other
classes (conforms to relations in the relational model) also according to
their characteristics or methods (responsibilities). A class is usually much
more complex than a relational database. Therefore, it makes sense, to save
it in an object-oriented database.
Although, this is not the only reason for
ClassiX®
to use an object-oriented database. All single class formings - the
objects - are in ClassiX®
individual records, which are able to hold independent information (data
fields). Here, a data field can also be seen as an N:M relation.
ClassiX® business objects are therefore also modeled as containers, which can hold additional information and relations to other (individual) business objects. On the one hand, this increases model- and application flexibility, on the other hand though, it causes a very complex and company-specific network of objects of connected objects. This comes very close to the real company structure.
By tracking access paths it is possible to navigate freely through the database with ClassiX®. The screen shot below shows our Objekt Navigators with a simple sales order:
The system knows the application module for each addressed object. The according window opens with a double-click.