Database Design for Mere Mortals: A Hands-On Guide to Relational Database Design

For Mere Mortals #1

by Michael J. Hernandez

Database Design for Mere Mortals™, Second Edition, is a straightforward, platform-independent tutorial on the basic principles of relational database design. It provides a commonsense design methodology for developing databases that work.

Database design expert Michael J. Hernandez has expanded his best-selling first edition, maintaining its hands-on approach and accessibility while updating its coverage and including even more examples and illustrations.

 

This book will give you the knowledge and tools you need to create efficient and effective relational databases.

Genres: Programming, Reference, Computer Science, Technical, Technology, Nonfiction, Computers

611 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 19, 1996

Reviews

[L · Rating 3 out of 5]

Update (11/16/12): halfway through. author has spent a whole lot of time hand-holding through interview techniques, when I wanted to be hand-held through design principles. I'm also peeved that of all the fake characters I've read about, the only two females were (1) a nagging wife, and (2) an assistant named Kendra. None of the business owners, management team, database developers, etc. The upside is that it was written in 1997 and so contains some beautiful passages like:
p. 80 "He owns a computer but uses it mainly to play games, write letters, and "surf the 'net."
p. 94 "When they are satisfied that they understand the mission objectives and that the list is relatively complete, commit the list to a document in your favorite word processor and save it for later use."

Update (Fall 2012): Found it under my bed. Awesome.

Original (Spring 2012): I don't know where this went! I bought it in the first week of January and put it down and now it's not anywhere. Man!

[Nick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Database Design For Mere Mortals is an unusual book. Most database books describe how to use a particular piece of database software, but give little attention to high-level design of how the data ought to be structured. DDFMM takes the opposite approach: it shows you how to go from a set of ambiguous, half-specified requirements, and go to an unambiguous database model.

The first edition of DDFMM was published in 1996, but it has aged remarkably well for a technical book. Aside from references to Oracle SQL and Waterfall Methodology, it could have been published yesterday.

DDFMM has three central claims.

First, it is useful to spend time designing your database, to make sure that you are tracking the right things, and that your data is represented in the simplest way. If you skip this step, you are pushing work onto the application, which makes designing and maintaining it more complicated.

Second, it is important to create constraints to prevent invalid data from being entered. Data can enter the database through multiple routes, and enforcing correctness at the database level is easier than doing it in each individual application.

Third, the database should be designed to avoid storing the same data in multiple places. If a customer phone number is stored in multiple places, then the application needs to update each copy of the phone number whenever it is changed. This makes the application more complicated.

DDFMM is very clearly written and well-polished. For every concept, there are two or three concrete examples to motivate and illustrate the concept. However, it is also very repetitive and redundant, which makes it a slog to get through.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this book. I read this book in a week when preparing for my first corporate data analysis job! It’s about database design of course, but if you don’t understand how databases work, it’s going to be hard to produce accurate work as an analyst.

I really liked how clear the book is in helping you understand how data can be structured well, without resorting to using the “normal forms” concept (hint: you can still ignore the “normal forms” concept as this book will give you a better understanding)!

I remember in that interview there was even a trick question that this book helped me ace! (It was about subset tables)

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I made it to page 4 and realized this is about operational databases, not analytical databases, so it's not actually that relevant to me. Oops. I've looked it up before but not until this book did I fully realize the difference between databases and data warehouses.

I decided to read/skim the rest anyway and it's an accessibly written guide for beginners, definitely useful. However I will now be seeking a book on data warehouses.

[Rahul Chandrasekharan · Rating 1 out of 5]

If you have designed and used more than one database, you may skip this book. This book would not offer much value to your time.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

A bit dryer in tone than my other textbook for database design, and with no hands-on practice, this book was still a helpful guide to learning the theory and best practices of relational database design.
The chapters are laid out logically, and the explanations are clear. Lots of visuals are provided too, which I really value. Each chapter has a helpful summary at the end and questions to quiz yourself.
This is a good book for beginners and would be worthwhile to keep as a reference.

[Gail · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'll have to say, I'd have to think long and hard before I would embark on designing a database. It's so much easier to just work with what you have and hassle a DBA to fix it for you.

This book does give you a very clear, factual way to go about the process of designing a database.

[Reinis Bekeris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good base to put in before attempting to build a database. Highly recommend!
Only 4 stars because at leats 20% of the content is just restating what was written before and not even paraphrasing. Also the summary is rather dry and could use some more visual aid instead of list that states exactly what was written in the chapter.

[Chris Navy · Rating 4 out of 5]

for the tldr people:
Tables, tables, tables. Good table design makes for a good database!

[Tommy Estlund · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're interested in database design...read this book.

If you're not? Well, you're probably safe not reading it.

[Joshua · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book has been with me for some time. I decided to recommit to reading through it. I am proud of such an accomplishment. What sparks joy for me is database design. I own it. Database design may be an odd pleasure for most. There is a beauty to order and the greatest insight information provides. For me. I have taken courses on database design. Watched videos. I find this book one of the most effective learning tools I have encountered thus far on Database Design.

I am fearlessly ready to apply all I have read here. That feels so empowering. Imagine the usefulness of the content, tv show, social media or book to come to your life and then give you the expertise to effect meaningful change. This book is that for me. We need reasons to enjoy life. To find a purpose and apply oneself in the work you believe able to dedicate oneself deeply to is a gift. I appreciate the author tremendously in his work.

[Allen R · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good book on designing a database for a business that covers the whole process of what you should do when creating or reforming an old database system into a new database with good data integrity. This book is very peculiar because the author has a very biased and certain system he follows when designing the database and that is basically what the book covers. There may be some standard terminology or concepts in this book that are not particularly stated, but his process is very good at actually making sure standard practices are kept in place. This book also refers to a relational database system so it doesn't cover document databases or any non relational databases. Also doesn't cover really how databases work and all, and it doesn't cover how to implement databases either. Still a very good book to read to get a really good fundamental processes of designing databases that is especially good for people newer to the field.

[Iurii Mednikov · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice introductory reading that is written in a simple and understandable language. If you have not touched the subject of relational db design before, it can be quite good introduction; however after you should take more serious books. I found this book encouraging, but it did not give me any new knowledge. However, I really liked the way it was written, so 4 stars, even it did not provide any value for me:)

[Arnas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I rated this book 5 stars because it perfectly achieves what its title implies - a book that briefly explains all the main aspects of proper database design and how to achieve it. And it does that using non-technical language.

[Sean Rich · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rather antiquated. Couldn’t bring myself to finish it so who knows it might’ve gotten better.

[Vidu]

Read for GLIS 617: Information System Design

[Ben · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very good book on database design.

I found it pretty simple, but I still got a few little helpful tidbits out of it.

Great book if newer to databases, something I am not.

3.9/5

[Simon Lee · Rating 1 out of 5]

the content is very basic and non-technical for a database design book

[Sara · Rating 1 out of 5]

As a developer, I am very disappointed on the content. This was too basic and too repetitive for me, not the book I was expecting to read.

[PJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rambles at times but gets the job done. ✅

[Zoé · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall, presents a solid guide to designing relational databases. However, the book was disorganized and I did not like the layout of the chapters.

[Peepee_KaaKaa]

soo much yapping

[Felipe Domingues · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book is very well written and simplifies the database logical construction without the need of normal forms making it easier than ever. Very recommended!

[Bryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect for the programmer who is submitted their database design for a new version of a product, to understand the basics of the database and go through the checklists within

[Evelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

yah yah yah yah yah yahoo yahoo yahoo yah yah yah yah yahoo

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although this took me longer to get through than I anticipated (other things kept intervening), I'm glad I stuck with it. Although I've had a bit of formal training on databases in various classes and "webinars," most of my knowledge is from accumulated experience, and therefore not always terribly well-structured. 'Database Design for Mere Mortals' helped me restructure what I know and place it against a larger framework of design methodology. The writing is clear and concise, and well-provided with practical examples.



I will be looking for ways to implement some of the insights I gained from reading it... it's already enabled me to identify some of the design-related problems we're currently experiencing at our company. Although I may not ever have a real chance to design a database from the ground up (that's not really my job), I have a much more complete appreciation of what's involved (and what ought to be involved).

[Uriel Vidal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Es un libro muy educativo acerca del diseño de bases de datos y parte del objetivo del autor es hacer muy detallista en las explicaciones para llegar a un público más grande. Es precisamente esto donde el está el aparente problema del libro y es que resulta algo tedioso que una explicación simple, resulte en páginas y páginas detallando un ejemplo y al final el proceso resulte más grande de lo que aparentemente es.

Al final genera una explicación acerca de los modos normalizados y como es que llegó a su forma de trabajo, necesario llegar a leer esa parte para comprender como es que su forma funciona.

También coloca libros sugeridos que a mi parecer hace que un libro generé la confianza para saber que tiene continuidad y no representa la verdad absoluta.

[Louis · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was very good as a hands on book. I used it for teaching. Several of the students said they liked it because it was more hands on.

I felt that it was a bit light on the theory. But it probably gets paired very well with books that are deeper in the how and why because Hernandez does a good job of explaining concepts in english. Also, there were some sections (like diagramming) that I felt that Hernandez was much better then alternatives, because instead of using the full set of UML, he uses a subset that makes sense for what he needs. And this attitude is applied to other topics as well.

[Piotr · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book for the people who know absolutely nothing about databases. For someone with a least a basic knowledge a bit too lengthy for the value offered. Author explains step by step how the database should be designed describing each step very (very) thoroughly. After reading "SQL queries for mere mortals" I expected much more practical exercises and real world examples. In fact I think that the short introduction to the databases presented in that book had much higher value to text ratio. Good thing is that you can read it quite quickly. I'd still recommend it to someone who is at the very beginning of the database adventure.

[Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is written well for a computer book. By this I mean you don't fall asleep reading it. It is very imformative in what infomration is necessary to extract from interviews to begin to build your and design your database well.