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principlesqlCritical

Advantages and Disadvantages to using ENUM vs Integer types?

Submitted by: @import:stackexchange-dba··
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advantagesenumusingdisadvantagestypesandinteger

Problem

Lets say in some random table, you have a column named status. It's real-world values would be either enabled or disabled.

Is it better for this column's data type to be an int/bool (1 or zero) or to use ENUM with the values being enabled and disabled? What are the advantages or disadvantages?

Let's say instead of just two valid status's, you have 4 or 10 or even more? Do the advantages and disadvantages sway to one side or the other as the number of required values increases?

Solution

I found a very bizarre but informative article about 8 reasons why one should not use ENUM.

Even without the article, I know

  • there is no easy method for adding new values, some techniques are very high risk



  • numbers should never be used



  • only use strings (@DTest already mentioned this in his answer)

Context

StackExchange Database Administrators Q#6962, answer score: 94

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