Key-based handling of product purchases

A method of handling purchases of products in a database system, wherein the database system comprises:

• a relational database storing relational data for a plurality of products;
• a key-value database storing a plurality of first files and a plurality of second files, wherein the first and second files represent the relational data, wherein the first files are accessible by using respective first keys associated with the products and comprise respective at least one second keys, wherein the second files are accessible by using the respective at least one second keys;
• an interface module connecting the relational database with the key-value database;
• a shopping engine to communicate with the key-value database;
• wherein the method comprises:
• converting, per product, at least a part of the relational data stored in the relational database into (i) one of the first files containing a plurality of the second keys and (ii) a plurality of the second files corresponding to the second keys contained in the first file;
• storing the one first file and the plurality of the second files in the key-value database;
• receiving an availability request for a product from a client device;
• querying the key-value database by using a first key associated with the product to retrieve a first file associated with the product;
• processing said first file to extract the plurality of the second keys and metadata associated with the plurality of second keys;
• comparing, per second key, among the plurality of second keys contained in the first file, the metadata with the availability request to determine a subset of the plurality of second keys contained in the first file for which the metadata fulfills the availability request;
• querying the key-value database by using a list of the subset of the said second keys fulfilling the availability request to receive corresponding second files;
• extracting data from said second files;
• and
• sending the data extracted from said second files to the client device.

A non-transitory machine-readable medium storing program code, wherein the program code is arranged to carry out a method for handling purchases of products, when executed on a computer system, the method including:

• accessing a relational database storing relational data for a plurality of products;
• accessing a key-value database storing a plurality of first files and a plurality of second files, wherein the first and second files represent the relational data, wherein the first files are accessible by using respective first keys associated with the products and comprise respective at least one second keys, wherein the second files are accessible by using the respective at least one second keys;
• converting, per product, at least a part of the relational data stored in the relational database into (i) one of the first files containing a plurality of the second keys and (ii) a plurality of the second files corresponding to the second keys contained in the first file;
• storing the one first file and the plurality of the second files in the key-value database;
• receiving an availability request for a product from a client device;
• querying the key-value database by using a first key associated with the product to retrieve a first file associated with the product;
• processing said first file to extract the plurality of the second keys and metadata associated with the plurality of second keys;
• comparing, per second key, among the plurality of second keys contained in the first file, the metadata with the availability request to determine a subset of the plurality of second keys contained in the first file for which the metadata fulfills the availability request;
• querying the key-value database by using a list of the subset of the said second keys fulfilling the availability request to receive corresponding second files;
• extracting data from said second files;
• and
• sending the data extracted from said second files to the client device.