What's the Best Way to Store Gender Data in a Database for Optimal Size and Performance?

Storing Gender in Databases: Evaluating Options for Size and Performance

When storing a user's gender in a database, it's crucial to minimize the size and performance impact of the selected data type. Among the common options are:

• Integer (int): Aligned with an enumeration in the code, where each gender is assigned a numeric value.
• Single-Character String (char(1)): Stores a single character indicating the gender (e.g., 'm', 'f').
• Bit: A binary value (0 or 1) that can represent the gender.

While the previous answer suggested that characters are smaller than booleans, the ISO 5218 standard provides a more standardized approach.

According to the standard, the column representing gender should be named "Sex." The recommended data type is tinyint with an appropriate CHECK constraint or lookup table. This approach ensures consistency and interoperability across different systems.

By adhering to the ISO 5218 standard, you can ensure that your database design meets industry best practices and minimizes both size and performance overhead while accurately capturing gender information.

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