Core Data vs. SQLite for SQL experienced developers

Question

We're beginning development of an in-house app in the iPhone Enterprise developer program. Since it's close to OS 3.0, we're reconsidering our original design of using SQLite and using Core Data instead. Here's some more info:

• There is a legacy desktop application that this is replacing. We will reuse the existing back end.
• We currently have a SQLite database generated as a proof of concept. This is basically a cut down version of the existing back end database.
• We will be loading data from a remote site and storing it locally, where it will persist and need to be . We only update it if it has changed, which will be every month or two. We will most likely use XML or JSON to transfer the data.
• There are two developers on this project and we both have strong SQL skills but neither one has used Core Data.

My questions are: what is the benefit of Core Data over SQLite, what would the benefit be in this specific instance and do the benefits justify learning a new framework instead of using existing strong SQL skills?

EDIT: I just noticed this question: Core Data vs SQLite 3. I guess my questions therefore are:

• If I have to check if a specific item either exists or has an update, which is easy using SQL, does Core Data still make sense? Can I load the first object in a graph and check the version number without loading the whole graph?
• If we already know SQL, does the advantages of Core Data for this one project justify us learning it?

Answer 1

As you've read Core Data vs SQLite 3, you know that Core Data and the persistence mechanism (SQLite in this case) are largely orthogonal. Core Data is really about managing an object graph and it's main use case is for the model component of an MVC architecture. If your application fits nicely into this architecture, it's probably worth using Core Data as it will save you a lot of code in the model component. If you already have a working model component (e.g. from the existing desktop app), then Core Data won't buy you much. A hybrid approach is possible-- you can do your own persistence/querying and build a Core Data in memory store which you populate with the result of a query and use this in-memory store via Core Data as the model component for your app. This isn't common, but I've done it and there are no major roadblocks.

To answer your specific questions:

1. You can assign a version number to the entire persistent store and retrieve that information via +[NSPersistentStore metadataForPersistentStoreWithURL:error:], without even opening the store. An equivalent +setMetadata:forPersistentStoreWithURL:error also exists, of course. If you want to store the version info in an entity instance instead of in the persistent store metadata, you can load only a single object. With an SQLite persistent store, Core Data does a very good job of fetching only what you need.

2. The NSPredicate API, is very easy to learn and it seems to do a decent job of compilation to SQL. At least for databases of the size you could fit on an iPhone it's certainly been adequate (performance wise) in my experience. I think the SQL vs. Core Data question is slightly misguided, however. Once you get the result of a query what are you going to do with it? If you roll your own, you'll have to instantiate objects, handle faulting/uniqueing (if you don't want to load the entire result of a query into memory immediately) and all of the other object graph management facilities already provided by Core Data.

Answer 2

It sounds like you already have the project designed using SQLite, and you have experience in that area.

So the bottom line is, does it make sense to port this project, will Core Data give me anything that I didn't already have in my original design?

Assuming that the original design was done properly, based on the requirements ON THIS PROJECT, it's probably not worth it.

But that's not the end of the discussion. There are other things to think about: Will my next project have such light database requirements? Do I need to ship soon, due to timeline or budget constraints? Assuming I'm going to have to learn Core Data sooner or later, doesn't it make sense to do it now? Am I possibly interested in porting my code over to the Mac?

The answers to these questions may lead you to the decision that yes, it is indeed worth it to go back to the drawing board so to speak, and learn what Core Data is all about.

To get to your final question: What are the advantages? Well, Core Data is a higher level abstraction of your database, it is also data store agnostic (so if a future version of the iPhone were to ditch SQLite for an embedded version of MySQL... unlikely, but it's an example) then Core Data would require VERY few changes to the code to make it work with the new data store. Core Data will provide a great deal of quick portability to the Mac platform. Core Data will handle versioning of your data model, whereas unless you have a framework or a workflow to manage it, direct access to SQLite won't.

I'm sure other answerers can come up with other advantages, and maybe some good reasons why NOT to mess with Core Data. Incidentally, in a similar situation, my decision was to port to the higher level, newer framework. But in my case, it was for a side project, and ship date and budget were non-factors.

Answer 3

Not to detract from this forum, but you might find more respondents with contextually relevant experience at the Apple iPhone DevForum.

Speaking from a purely project management perspective, it sounds like you know how to build what you want to build using SQLite, and so it would make more sense to me for you to start along that route.

That being said, CoreData builds on top of SQLite and if you are trying to leverage other parts of the system in conjunction with your data, e.g. using KVC/KVO or bindings, then you may quickly find that this functionality is worth the learning curve.

= Mike