{"id":4974,"date":"2026-08-16T21:10:21","date_gmt":"2026-08-16T21:10:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nmi.cool\/advweb\/?page_id=4974"},"modified":"2026-08-17T00:48:28","modified_gmt":"2026-08-17T00:48:28","slug":"project-5-databases","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/nmi.cool\/advweb\/project-5-databases\/","title":{"rendered":"Project 4: Databases"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In the previous exercise, you learned how databases allow us to separate information from its presentation. You took a familiar collection of Athens coffee shops, figured out what information was worth storing, organized that information into a data model, and then used WordPress to store and retrieve it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now it’s your turn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For this project, you will create a small database around a collection that you genuinely find interesting<\/strong>. The subject is completely up to you, but your collection should contain enough variety that you can meaningfully organize, classify, and retrieve different subsets of the information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The finished project will include your original data model, a working WordPress collection, evidence that you inspected the underlying database, and a short project reflection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Choose Your Collection<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Choose a subject and create a collection of approximately 8\u201310 related items<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Possible collections could include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  • movies<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • albums<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • books<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • recipes<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • hiking trails<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • plants<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • video games<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • historical events<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • restaurants<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • coffee shops<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • sports teams<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • campus organizations<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • thrift stores<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • fictional characters<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • something completely different!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    Choose something specific enough that the individual items have meaningful differences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    For example, \u201cMovies\u201d<\/strong> is probably too broad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Pixar movies<\/strong>, Best Picture winners<\/strong>, or 1990s romantic comedies<\/strong> give you a more coherent collection with characteristics you can actually compare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Likewise, avoid a collection where every item would end up having essentially the same Categories and Tags.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Your data should give us something interesting to retrieve!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    STRUCTURE: Design Your Data<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

    Before you touch WordPress, create a Google Sheet<\/strong> representing your collection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Each row should represent one item.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Each column should represent an attribute you want to store about those items.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Think carefully about what information would actually make your collection useful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Your attributes might include things such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n
    • name<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • date<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • location<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • creator<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • genre<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • rating<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • type<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • features<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • characteristics<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • availability<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

      Your particular fields will depend entirely on your collection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      As you build the Sheet, think about:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        \n
      • repeated values<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • data types<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • missing information<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • exceptions<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • ambiguity<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • information that might be useful for grouping or filtering<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

        Reality rarely fits perfectly into a spreadsheet. That’s part of the point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Ask Two Questions<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

        Before moving on, write down at least two questions your database should be able to answer<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        For example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Which items belong to a particular group?<\/strong> Which items share a particular characteristic?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

        If your database contained hiking trails, your questions might be:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Which trails are located in North Georgia?<\/strong> Which trails are dog friendly?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

        If your database contained movies:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Which movies are comedies?<\/strong> Which movies were directed by women?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

        These questions will become important later when you test whether your structure actually works.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Keep your Google Sheet! It represents your original conceptual model<\/strong> and will be part of your final submission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        MAP: Translate Your Model to WordPress<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

        Now figure out how your conceptual model will fit inside regular WordPress Posts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        You have access to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          \n
        • Post Titles<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Content<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Excerpts<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Featured Images<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Categories<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Tags<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

          Decide how the information from your Sheet should map onto these structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          You must establish at least one meaningful Category-based organization<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          You should also create useful Tags that cut across that organization<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Remember: Categories organize. Tags describe across that organization.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Your original data model probably won’t fit WordPress perfectly. That’s okay! Part of this project is deciding where to make reasonable compromises.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Conceptual model \u2260 implementation.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

          For this assignment, stick with regular WordPress Posts. Do not use Custom Post Types or install tools simply to make your original model fit perfectly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          STORE: Build Your Collection<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

          Open WordPress Playground<\/strong> and create your project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Create your Category structure first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Then create and publish one Post for each item in your collection<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Each Post should use the WordPress structures you established during the MAP stage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Assign appropriate Categories and Tags to every item.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          You may use the regular Post editor, Quick Edit, or other Dashboard tools to make the process more efficient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Once all of your Posts are complete, compare WordPress against your Google Sheet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Make sure:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            \n
          • every intended item is present<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • your Posts are published<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • Categories are assigned correctly<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • Tags are consistent<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • important information from your model hasn’t accidentally disappeared<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

            Look Behind the Curtain \ud83d\udc40<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

            Next, let’s make sure you can prove that there really is a database behind all of this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Open WordPress Playground’s Database<\/strong> tools and launch phpMyAdmin<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Browse the:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            wp_posts<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            table.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Find one of your own Posts<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Locate:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              \n
            • its database ID<\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • its Post title<\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • one or two other values you recognize<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

              Take a purposeful screenshot<\/strong> showing your Post inside the database.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              You will use this screenshot in your reflection later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              Do not<\/strong> modify the database directly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              You also do not need to figure out the entire WordPress database schema. Find your record, identify a few recognizable values, get your evidence, and get out!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              INTERACT: CRUD<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

              Throughout this project, you have been using the four basic CRUD operations:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              Create<\/strong>
              <\/strong>Read<\/strong>
              <\/strong>Update<\/strong>
              <\/strong>Delete<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

              You don’t need to perform extra CRUD busywork just to prove you know the acronym.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              Instead, notice where those operations naturally appeared during your project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              For example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              Creating a Post = Create<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

              Viewing a Post = Read<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

              Editing a Post = Update<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

              Removing an unwanted Post = Delete<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

              CRUD is not a WordPress-specific concept. It is a general pattern for interacting with persistent data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              RETRIEVE: Test Your Data Model<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

              Remember those two questions you created at the beginning? Time to see whether your database can answer them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              Open a meaningful Category archive<\/strong>. Does it retrieve the subset of your collection you expected?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              Now open a meaningful Tag archive<\/strong>. Does it retrieve a different, cross-cutting subset?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              For example, perhaps your Category archive shows: All Pixar movies released in the 2000s<\/strong>, while a Tag archive shows: Movies featuring a female protagonist<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

              The specific results will depend on your project. The important part is that WordPress is generating these collections from your stored data. You should not<\/strong> manually create pages containing copies of your Posts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              STRUCTURE makes RETRIEVE possible.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

              PRESENT: Keep It Functional<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

              Select an appropriate WordPress theme for your collection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              Make sure your:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                \n
              • individual Posts<\/li>\n\n\n\n
              • main listing<\/li>\n\n\n\n
              • Category archives<\/li>\n\n\n\n
              • Tag archives<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

                are readable and usable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                You are welcome to customize the appearance further, but this is not primarily a visual-design project<\/strong>. Do not let theme customization dramatically expand the scope of your project. No block-template or Site Editor customization is required.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                The goal is a clear and functional presentation of your stored information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                BACK UP YOUR WORK!<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

                WordPress Playground is great for experimentation, but remember:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Persistence does not guarantee permanence.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Export your WordPress Playground project as a .zip file at appropriate checkpoints while you work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Definitely export a final copy when the project is complete.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                There’s an important distinction here:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Persistence<\/strong> means information remains available beyond a single interaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Portability<\/strong> means the information or project can be moved somewhere else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Backup<\/strong> means you have another copy in case something goes wrong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Your Playground project may be persistent during your work, but your exported ZIP gives you a portable backup that you control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                REFLECT: Create a Project Page<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

                Create a Capstone-style project page written in HTML<\/strong> and link to it from your hosted course page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                This page should document what you built and, more importantly, what you learned from the process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Include a short project overview along with purposeful screenshots<\/strong> rather than screenshots of every step.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                At minimum, include evidence of:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                STORE<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

                Show the recognizable record you located inside wp_posts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Include the database ID<\/strong> of the Post you inspected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                RETRIEVE<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

                Show a meaningful Category or Tag archive that demonstrates your taxonomy working.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                PRESENT<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

                Show the finished collection as a user would encounter it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Reflection Questions<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                On your project page, respond to the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                1. What was one important data-modeling or taxonomy decision you made?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Explain why you structured your information that way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                2. What was one compromise you made when translating your Google Sheet into WordPress?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

                What did your conceptual model want to do that WordPress’s standard structures didn’t represent perfectly?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                3. What did WordPress do for you that you otherwise would have needed to build yourself?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Think beyond appearance. Consider storing, managing, retrieving, or presenting data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                4. Connect one concept from this project to something you’ve encountered elsewhere.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

                This could be another web-development concept, another programming language, an app you use, a previous NMI assignment, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                If everything in this project was genuinely new to you, explain what new idea stood out instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                5. Return to your two original questions. Could your finished structure answer them?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Explain how.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                6. What would you model differently if you were starting the project again?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Your answer might involve fields, Categories, Tags, values, scope, or the collection itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Submit Your Supporting Files<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

                Your final project page should also include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n