Storing and versioning hierarchical data in a binary format

A method comprising:

• creating a hierarchy record for a hierarchy in a plurality of hierarchies, the hierarchy record comprising at least a hierarchy identifier and a first binary encoded chunk of data, the hierarchy comprising a plurality of nodes, each node in the plurality of nodes being associated with at least:
• (a) a node identifier;
• (b) a parent-child relationship with at least one other node in the hierarchy;
• and
• (c) a node type defining a set of one or more properties;
• storing, in association with the hierarchy, a list of node types of the plurality of nodes in the hierarchy;
• creating a first node type record for a first node type at least by:
• identifying a first plurality of nodes of the first node type, each node of the first plurality of nodes of the first node type comprising a respective first node identifier and a respective first textual node name;
• creating first binary encoded node data representing the first plurality of nodes of the first node type;
• and
• storing in the first node type record:
• (a) a first node type identifier as a text value and (b) the first binary encoded node data as the first binary encoded chunk of data;
• storing the first node type record in a relational database table;
• and
• for the first node type in the list of node types in the hierarchy:
• retrieving the first node type record from the relational database table;
• decoding the first binary encoded chunk of data from the first node type record to extract a first plurality of node identifiers;
• and
• identifying a first plurality of in-memory node objects identified by the first plurality of node identifiers, and associating each of the first plurality of in-memory node objects with the first node type.

A system comprising:

• one or more processors;
• and
• memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to perform operations comprising:
• creating a hierarchy record for a hierarchy in a plurality of hierarchies, the hierarchy record comprising at least a hierarchy identifier and a first binary encoded chunk of data, the hierarchy comprising a plurality of nodes, each node in the plurality of nodes being associated with at least:
• (a) a node identifier;
• (b) a parent-child relationship with at least one other node in the hierarchy;
• and
• (c) a node type defining a set of one or more properties;
• storing, in association with the hierarchy, a list of node types of plurality of nodes in the hierarchy;
• creating a first node type record for a first node type at least by:
• identifying a first plurality of nodes of the first node type, each node of the first plurality of nodes of the first node type comprising a respective first node identifier and a respective first textual node name;
• creating first binary encoded node data representing the first plurality of nodes of the first node type;
• and
• storing in the first node type record:
• (a) a first node type identifier as a text value and (b) the first binary encoded node data as the first binary encoded chunk of data;
• storing the first node type record in a relational database table;
• and
• for the first node type in the list of node types in the hierarchy:
• retrieving the first node type record from the relational database table;
• decoding the first binary encoded chunk of data from the first node type record to extract a first plurality of node identifiers;
• and
• identifying a first plurality of in-memory node objects identified by the first plurality of node identifiers, and associating each of the first plurality of in-memory node objects with the first node type.

A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed by one or more hardware processors, causes performance of operations comprising:

• creating a hierarchy record for a hierarchy in a plurality of hierarchies, the hierarchy record comprising at least a hierarchy identifier and a first binary encoded chunk of data, the hierarchy comprising a plurality of nodes, each node in the plurality of nodes being associated with at least:
• (a) a node identifier;
• (b) a parent-child relationship with at least one other node in the hierarchy;
• and
• (c) a node type defining a set of one or more properties;
• storing, in association with the hierarchy, a list of node types of nodes in the hierarchy;
• creating a node type record for a node type at least by:
• identifying a plurality of nodes of the node type, each node of the plurality of nodes of the node type comprising the node identifier and a textual node name;
• creating binary encoded node data representing the plurality of nodes of the node type;
• and storing in the node type record:
• (a) a node type identifier as a text value and (b) the binary encoded node data as a binary encoded chunk of data;
• storing the node type record in a relational database table;
• receiving, from an application, a request to view data stored in a particular hierarchy;
• finding, in the relational database table, a hierarchy record for the particular hierarchy;
• decoding the binary encoded chunk of data included in the hierarchy record to retrieve a plurality of decoded nodes of the node type;
• and creating a first in-memory node object associated with a first node of the plurality of nodes of the node type and second in-memory node object associated with a second node of the plurality of nodes of the node type.

A method, comprising:

• creating a hierarchy record for a hierarchy in a plurality of hierarchies, the hierarchy record comprising at least a hierarchy identifier and a first binary encoded chunk of data, the hierarchy comprising a plurality of nodes, each node in the plurality of nodes being associated with at least:
• (a) a node identifier;
• (b) a parent-child relationship with at least one other node in the hierarchy;
• and
• (c) a node type defining a set of one or more properties;
• storing, in association with the hierarchy, a list of node types of nodes in the hierarchy;
• creating a node type record for a node type at least by:
• identifying a plurality of nodes of the node type, each node of the plurality of nodes of the node type comprising the node identifier and a textual node name;
• creating binary encoded node data representing the plurality of nodes of the node type;
• and storing in the node type record:
• (a) a node type identifier as a text value and (b) the binary encoded node data as a binary encoded chunk of data;
• storing the node type record in a relational database table;
• receiving, from an application, a request to view data stored in a particular hierarchy;
• finding, in the relational database table, a hierarchy record for the particular hierarchy;
• decoding the binary encoded chunk of data included in the hierarchy record to retrieve a plurality of decoded nodes of the node type;
• and creating a first in-memory node object associated with a first node of the plurality of nodes of the node type and second in-memory node object associated with a second node of the plurality of nodes of the node type.