Comment by randomNumber7
8 hours ago
Since Codd's paper showed that the relational model dominates other approaches (for data storage) I would expect a paper that shows categorical database are not affected by this and what benefit they have.
8 hours ago
Since Codd's paper showed that the relational model dominates other approaches (for data storage) I would expect a paper that shows categorical database are not affected by this and what benefit they have.
My (amateur) take. CDB model (based on functions) has three advantages over RDB model (based on relations):
1. Easier modelling sum types (inheritance) due to duality.
2. Better handling of null due to labelled null.
3. Better foundation of elementary types (they're just another table ids). (Column stores often do that already, if your question is about storage.)
While the relational model is claimed to be based on relations, the vast majority of the "relations" used in practice are functions, not general relations.
A general relation exists only between the columns of a table that are included in a multi-column primary key.
All columns that are not part of the primary key are functions of the primary key.
Most tables used in practice use a single column as the primary key, which is frequently just a number or a UUID. Most databases contain only tables that are functions, without any table that contains general relations.
The most frequently used kinds of joins are just function compositions.