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ORM is a technique used by developers to interact with databases in a more efficient, structured, and object-oriented way reducing the complexity of working directly with SQL and making the development process smoother.
- ORM stands for Object-Relational Mapping.
- ORM converts and synchronizes data between the object-oriented programming languages and relational databases.
Speaking to a database involves learning a database language like SQL. ORM allows developers to interact with a database using object-oriented code instead of writing raw SQL queries.
Examples of Popular ORM
Some popular ORMs used in different programming languages are as follows:
- Java has Hibernate and EclipseLink.
- Python has SQLAlchemy, Django ORM and Peewee.
- PHP has Eloquent ORM and Doctrine ORM
- C# (.NET) has Entity Framework and Dapper.
These ORMs reduces the complexity of working directly with SQL and makes the development process smoother.
How ORM Works?
ORM frameworks perform the mapping between objects and database tables automatically, saving developers time and effort. Here’s how it works:
- Mapping Classes to Tables: The ORM framework maps each class in the code to a corresponding database table.
- Object-Row Mapping: Each object is a representation of a row in a database table. The properties of the object correspond to the columns of the table.
- CRUD Operations: ORM allows for simple methods to interact with the database.
- SQL Abstraction: Instead of writing SQL queries directly, developers use ORM methods (like
.save(),.find(),.update(),.destroy()) to manipulate the data. The ORM converts these into appropriate SQL queries behind the scenes.
Advantages of using ORM
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Abstraction of Database Operations: ORM abstracts the complexity of writing raw SQL queries. You can focus on working with objects, and the ORM takes care of translating that into SQL.
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Increased Developer Productivity: ORM allows for rapid development because it eliminates the need to manually write SQL queries for every operation. It simplifies database interactions and helps reduce boilerplate code.
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Portability: Many ORM frameworks support multiple database engines (like MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQLite, etc.). This makes it easier to switch database engines if necessary.
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Code Readability and Maintenance: With ORM, the code is generally more readable and easier to maintain. It’s easier to see the relationships between different entities in the system, and the code structure is more consistent.
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Security: ORM frameworks automatically handle escaping user input, which reduces the risk of SQL injection attacks.
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Easier Schema Changes: Some ORM frameworks support migrations, making it easier to handle schema changes in a structured way across different environments.
Popular ORM Libraries in Node
- Sequelize: A promise-based ORM for Node.js, supporting multiple SQL databases like PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB, and SQLite.
- TypeORM: A TypeScript-based ORM that works with both SQL and NoSQL databases.
- Objection.js: A SQL-friendly ORM built on top of the query builder Knex.js, providing a more flexible approach than traditional ORMs.
ORMs offer many benefits, especially for rapid application development, including simplified database interactions, increased security, and maintainability. ORMs are ideal for many applications but may not be the best choice for all cases, particularly in systems where highly optimized SQL queries are critical.