In a recent rant on Why I think SQL_MODE is useless…, I wanted to counteract this statement with why we MUST all use SQL_MODE, even with the inherit flaws.
The fundamental principle of a database is to restore and retrieve data. When I can insert data into the database and then I select this data it is different, this is fundamentally wrong. This is a loss of essential data integrity, something a database should NEVER do.
SQL_MODE solves the problem of “silent truncation” in most instances, and produces an all important error. As pointed out, the SQL_MODE has several limitations, however the benefits do out way the risks. Quality control on source code can reduce the limitations, but no amount of coding can stop the CRUD that comes out of the database without some SQL_MODE settings.
I would ask two more important questions.
- How in the first place can such a critical feature of silent data truncation ever be permitted in MySQL? Who made that decision and why?
- When is the owner of MySQL codebase realize this is rather ridiculous and enforce essential minimual data integrity that can be obtain with options including STRICT_ALL_TABLES, NO_ZERO_DATE, NO_ZERO_IN_DATE and NO_ENGINE_SUBSTITUTION.
References
- MySQL Idiosyncrasies That Bite which includes a detailed section on the importance of SQL_MODE
- Why SQL_MODE is important
- Why SQL_MODE is important? Part I
