CRUD

May 20, 2023

CRUD is an acronym that stands for Create, Read, Update, and Delete. It is a term that is commonly used in web development and refers to the four basic functions that are required in order to manage data stored in a database or other persistent storage system. These four functions are essential for any web application that requires the ability to interact with data, such as an e-commerce website or a customer relationship management (CRM) system.

Purpose

The purpose of CRUD is to provide a standard set of operations that can be used to manage the data within a web application. These operations are fundamental to any web application that involves the storage and retrieval of data. The main goal of CRUD is to ensure that data can be created, read, updated, and deleted in a consistent and reliable manner. By using a standardized set of operations, developers can create web applications more quickly and with less effort, as they do not need to create custom code for each individual operation.

Create

The Create operation, also known as the “C” in CRUD, refers to the process of adding new data to a database or other persistent storage system. This operation is essential for any web application that requires data to be added by users, such as a social media platform where users can post new content. The Create operation involves gathering input from the user, validating the input, and then inserting the data into the database.

In order to perform the Create operation, a web application typically requires a form that the user can fill out, which includes fields for the various data elements that are being created. Once the user has filled out the form, the data is typically submitted to the web application’s backend, which handles validation and storage of the data.

Read

The Read operation, also known as the “R” in CRUD, refers to the process of retrieving data from a database or other persistent storage system. This operation is essential for any web application that requires data to be displayed to users, such as an e-commerce website that displays product information.

In order to perform the Read operation, a web application typically requires a way to retrieve data from the database and display it to the user. This can be done using a variety of techniques, such as server-side rendering or client-side rendering using JavaScript. Once the data has been retrieved, it is typically displayed to the user in a formatted manner, such as using HTML and CSS.

Update

The Update operation, also known as the “U” in CRUD, refers to the process of modifying existing data in a database or other persistent storage system. This operation is essential for any web application that allows users to update their profile information, for example, or allows them to modify content they have previously created.

In order to perform the Update operation, a web application typically requires a form that the user can fill out, which includes pre-populated fields for the data that is being updated. Once the user has made their changes, the data is submitted to the web application’s backend, which handles validation and storage of the updated data.

Delete

The Delete operation, also known as the “D” in CRUD, refers to the process of removing data from a database or other persistent storage system. This operation is essential for any web application that allows users to delete content they have previously created or removes records from a database that are no longer needed.

In order to perform the Delete operation, a web application typically requires a confirmation step from the user, as this operation permanently removes data from the system. Once the user has confirmed that they wish to delete the data, the web application’s backend removes the corresponding records from the database.

Usage

CRUD is used in a variety of web development frameworks and technologies, including Ruby on Rails, Django, and Laravel. These frameworks provide developers with pre-built functionality for performing CRUD operations, which can save time and effort when building web applications.

In addition to these frameworks, many web development languages include built-in functionality for performing CRUD operations. For example, PHP includes the PDO library, which includes methods for performing CRUD operations on a variety of database systems.

CRUD is also used in many web development APIs, such as the REST API. REST APIs typically provide a set of endpoints that correspond to the CRUD operations, allowing developers to interact with the API using standard HTTP requests.