How to Create a Database for a Dating Service

Some dating services use algorithms to find possible matches within database data.

Many people, frustrated with their dating lives, turn to a dating service to help them find a mate. A dating service, whether it is an dating website or a matchmaking service, must rely heavily on a database that stores the names of customers, their preferences and their demographic information; it must also store login information. Whether you create a database using MS SQL, MySQL, Oracle or another type of database, you should be certain your database provides enterprise-grade storage.

Instructions

1. List each item of data your dating service must store in each individual record, such as name, phone number and hobbies. Normalize the data by ensuring that each item represents only a single item of data.

2. Add login controls and tables, if your database or programming framework provides them, so that users of the dating service can easily log in to their profiles. Create your own login tables if your framework does not provide them.

3. Group related pieces of information together into separate lists called "entities." For example, group login information, billing information, dating preferences and other related information into separate entities. Ensure that each piece of data you intend to use fits into an entity. Also, ensure that no table will contain redundant rows.

4. Examine any algorithm or commonly executed query used by your application and see if it must pull data from many different entities; consider consolidating entities if this is the case. For example, if the dating service must match people who choose a particular series of traits and make a certain income, place this information in the smallest possible number of tables.

5. Implement the physical database using the entities you've drawn. Construct database tables, create indexes and choose data types to represent each item of data. Represent customer names, interests, and descriptions using a "String" value.

6. Add security, using the features provided by your database vendor, for secure logins and passwords.

References

• ADI News; Popularity of Online Dating Sites; Mark Whysall; March 2011
• Georgia State University: Chapter 3: Entity Relationship Model
• "Pro SQL Server 2008 Relational Database Design and Implementation"; Louis Davidson; 2008
• Microsoft: ASP.NET Login Controls Overview
• Microsoft: String Functions (Transact-SQL)
• MySQL: 5.3. General Security Issues