How to group data into tables?

Question

I feel like this is a question that has been asked before, but I couldn't find an answer. Apologies if it has been asked before.

What is a a good way to organize data regarding similar but different objects? For example, say I have a couple entries about reptiles. I have some tortoises and some komodo dragons. Great - both are cold-blooded and have 4 legs. However, different tortoises have different shell colors. This value doesn't mean anything to komodo dragons, which don't have shells. Does it make more sense to group them in a single table based on the fact that they have similar attributes, or to separate them based on the fact that they have exclusive attributes?

Possible duplicate of: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/246701/what-is-normalisation-or-normalization — James A Mohler, Jul 03 '16 at 21:33
I don't believe this is a normalization question - none of the data is actually "duplicated" as per the accepted answer. — green_meep, Jul 03 '16 at 21:40
I didn't realize that PostgreSQL had inheritance. That sounds like it would work perfectly. If you want to make your comment an answer, I will accept it. — green_meep, Jul 04 '16 at 00:15

score 0 · Accepted Answer · edited Jun 20 '20 at 09:12

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Maybe I will use inheritage attributes maybe lizard table parent and another one with shell and another with the difference was the color of the shell, this for the tortiose.

For the komodoro dragons I will make another table from lizard, animals with no shell for example, which his own characteristics.

I think that this is a good explain to how to do:

How can you represent inheritance in a database?

And this.

This will be another how to:

How To: Model Inheritance in Databases

To do your model with inheritage.

Cheers.

Antonio.

edited Jun 20 '20 at 09:12

Community

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answered Jul 03 '16 at 21:34

Antonio Galván

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Thanks for the answer and edit, Antonio. I will accept your answer if philipxy does not post his answer within 24 hours. – green_meep Jul 04 '16 at 04:30

How to group data into tables?

1 Answers1