Databases & Data Storage
ORM
Definition
Object-Relational Mapping (ORM) is a programming technique for converting data between incompatible type systems in object-oriented programming languages. This creates a "virtual object database" that can be used from within the programming language.
Why It Matters
ORMs allow developers to work with a database using the objects and classes of their preferred programming language, instead of writing raw SQL strings. This can make development faster and less error-prone.
Contextual Example
A Python developer using the SQLAlchemy ORM could write `user = session.query(User).filter_by(name='Alice').first()` instead of `SELECT * FROM users WHERE name = 'Alice' LIMIT 1;`. The ORM translates the Python code into SQL.
Common Misunderstandings
- ORMs are convenient but can sometimes generate inefficient SQL queries. For performance-critical code, developers may still choose to write raw SQL.
- Popular ORMs include SQLAlchemy for Python, Hibernate for Java, and Entity Framework for .NET.