# IFC Modernization : Relationships

**URL:** <https://forums.buildingsmart.org/t/ifc-modernization-relationships/1462>\
**Category:** Developers\
**Tags:** modernization\
**Created:** [June 2, 2019, 10:43pm UTC](https://forums.buildingsmart.org/t/ifc-modernization-relationships/1462 "2019-06-02T22:43:58Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 7

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**Author:** ![ReD\_CoDE](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forums.buildingsmart.org/red_code/32/226_2.png) [@ReD\_CoDE](https://forums.buildingsmart.org/u/ReD_CoDE)\
**Post date:** [June 11, 2019, 2:57pm UTC](https://forums.buildingsmart.org/t/ifc-modernization-relationships/1462/7 "2019-06-11T14:57:47Z")

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I’m not a programmer, but because of our existing startup I have to learn the existing solution as much as I can, at least general things

So, as I know generally, if a data structure has a “structured form” it’s better use “relational databases” --\> SQL  
If the data structure is “complex and unstructured” form then is better use “Object-Oriented database”

So, the IFC data structure is complex? Unstructured?  
If not, why was it originally developed based on Object-Oriented approach?

So I think “SQL” would be a better choice for schema (It’s fast, has better performance, is clear and doesn’t cause headache and lot of mistakes, etc)

But all “information systems” would be “Object-Relational Systems” which have a “Relational database” and “Object-Oriented frameworks”

[http://www.cis.umassd.edu/~jbergandy/process/workflow/ana\_desi/co\_rdbom.htm](http://www.cis.umassd.edu/~jbergandy/process/workflow/ana_desi/co_rdbom.htm)

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