Setting Up Your Data Store

This page explains how to create the building blocks of your SyncHive data store so your application can start exchanging data.

You will learn how to:

• Understand entities, tables, and shapes
• Define properties for the data you want to store
• Model relationships with linked tables
• Add records to your data store
• Reuse existing structures from the Schema Library

Understand the Core Building Blocks

Before you start storing data, it helps to understand the three core building blocks in SyncHive.

Building block	Description
Entity	Represents a real-world concept or a business concept, conforming all directly related data about it across systems and contexts. Entities group related tables and shapes.
Table	Stores your data. Each table belongs to an entity and contains properties that hold information.
Shape	Defines the structure of a message for a specific data exchange use case. It includes selected properties from a root entity and any related entities needed for that context. Multiple shapes can be derived from a single entity to support different integration scenarios.

Define Properties

Properties define the information your application stores for each record in a table.

For example, a Product table might include properties such as:

• Product code
• Name
• Price
• Dimensions
• Status

Each property has a data type and can include optional configuration, such as default values, descriptions, or identifiers.

Default Values

Use default values to pre-fill properties when new records are created.

Mandatory Properties

Some properties are required for every record.

Marking a property as mandatory ensures that it must be filled in before a record can be saved.

Model Relationships with Linked Tables

Many applications need to represent relationships between related pieces of data.

For example, a recipe can contain multiple ingredients. In SyncHive, you create this relationship using linked tables.

After tables are linked, table records can be added to a shape. This makes nested data visible when you view parent records, so related information is easier to manage.

Add Data

After your tables, properties, and shapes are created, you can start adding records.

To add a record:

1. Open the table in Explore.
2. Click Add Row.
3. Fill in the property values.
4. Save the record.

You can also:

• Edit data inline
• Filter records
• Hide or show properties by choosing which columns are displayed

Use the Schema Library

The Schema Library contains reusable entities, tables, and shapes. Use it to build schemas faster and keep structures consistent across implementations.

To add a component from the library:

1. Open Explore.
2. Browse or search the Library.
3. Select the entity, table, or shape you want to use.
4. Click Add to Schema.

Library components may include:

• Data structures
• Reference relationships
• Predefined shapes
• Supporting metadata