Data Model Diagramming from Theory to Practice

Data model diagramming (ERD) is a discipline of structuring project parts in an easy-to-follow diagram that exposes cardinality, attributes, and functionality. It helps to think through logical dependencies and ensures the best developer experience when exposing schema to them. Modelling is crucial for GraphQL as it directly exposes table architecture. With Hasura's Multi-Database support, modelling becomes even more important in determining where data should live and how they connect together. The right tool for diagramming should have annotation capabilities, fluidly change diagram type, multi-user edit mode, and export options. Entities are the main components of a model, while connections bring semantic value to the diagram. Understanding cardinality is essential in defining relationships between entities. Picking a model grammar/notation helps communicate a commonly understood representation of models. Optimizing your model involves normalizing data by breaking content models into discrete entities. In practice, start with a simple conceptual model and gradually add fidelity as needed.