ActiveModel::Embedding

An ActiveModel extension to model your semi-structured data using embedded associations.

Features
Introduction
Usage
⚠️ Warning
Use Case: Dealing with bibliographic data
Concepts
Components
Installation
License

Features

Embedded associations (powered by the Attributes API)
Nested attributes support out-of-the-box
Validations
Custom collections
Custom types
Autosaving
Dirty tracking

Introduction

Relational databases are very powerful. Their power comes from their ability to...

Preserve data integrity with a predefined schema.
Make complex relationships through joins.

But sometimes, we can stumble accross data that don't fit in the relational model. We call this kind of data: semi-structured data. When this happens, the things that makes relational databases powerful are the things that gets in our way, and complicate our model instead of simplifying it.

That's why document databases exist, to model and store semi-structured data. However, if we choose to use a document database, we'll loose all the power of using a relational database.

Luckily for us, relational databases like Postgres and MySQL now has good JSON support. So most of us won't need to use a document database like MongoDB, as it would be overkill. Most of the time, we only need to denormalize some parts of our model. So it makes more sense to use simple JSON columns for those, instead of going all-in, and dump your beloved relational database for MongoDB.

Currently in Rails, we can have full control over how our JSON data is stored and retrieved from the database, by using the Attributes API to serialize and deserialize our data.

That's what this extension does, in order to provide a convinient way to model semi-structured data in a Rails application.

Usage

Let's say that we need to store books in our database. We might want to "embed" data such as parts, chapters and sections without creating additional tables. By doing so, we can retrieve all the embedded data of a book in a single read operation, instead of performing expensive multi-table joins.

We can then model our data this way:

class Book < ApplicationRecord
  include ActiveModel::Embedding::Associations

  embeds_many :parts
end

class Book::Part
  include ActiveModel::Embedding::Document

  attribute :title, :string

  embeds_many :chapters
end

class Book::Part::Chapter
  include ActiveModel::Embedding::Document

  attribute :title, :string

  embeds_many :sections
end

class Book::Part::Chapter::Section
  include ActiveModel::Embedding::Document

  attribute :title, :string
  attribute :content, :string
end

And display it like this (with nested attributes support out-of-the-box):

# app/views/books/_form.html.erb
<%= form_with model: @book do |book_form| %>
  <%= book_form.fields_for :parts do |part_fields| %>

    <%= part_fields.label :title %>
    <%= part_fields.text_field :title %>

    <%= part_fields.fields_for :chapters do |chapter_fields| %>
      <%= chapter_fields.label :title %>
      <%= chapter_fields.text_field :title %>

      <%= chapter_fields.fields_for :sections do |section_fields| %>
        <%= section_fields.label :title %>
        <%= section_fields.text_field :title %>
        <%= section_fields.text_area :content %>
      <% end %>
    <% end %>
  <% end %>

  <%= book_form.submit %>
<% end %>

Validations

class SomeModel < ApplicationRecord
  include ActiveModel::Embedding::Associations

  embeds_many :things

  validates_associated :things
end

class Thing
  include ActiveModel::Embedding::Document

  embeds_many :other_things

  validates_associated :other_things
end

class OtherThing
  include ActiveModel::Embedding::Document

  attribute :some_attribute, :string

  validates :some_attribute, presence: true
end

things = Array.new(3) { Thing.new(other_things: Array.new(3) { OtherThing.new } }
record = SomeModel.new things: things

record.valid? # => false
record.save # => false

record.things.other_things = Array.new(3) { OtherThing.new(some_attribute: "present") }

record.valid? # => true
record.save # => true

Custom collections

class SomeCollection
  include ActiveModel::Embedding::Collecting
end

class Thing
end

class SomeModel
  include ActiveModel::Embedding::Document

  embeds_many :things, collection: "SomeCollection"
end

some_model = SomeModel.new things: Array.new(3) { Thing.new }
some_model.things.class
# => SomeCollection

Custom types

# config/initializers/types.rb
class SomeType < ActiveModel::Type::Value
  def cast(value)
    value.cast_type = self.class
    super
  end
end

ActiveModel::Type.register(:some_type, SomeType)

class SomeOtherType < ActiveModel::Type::Value
  attr_reader :context

  def initialize(context:)
    @context = context
  end

  def cast(value)
    value.cast_type = self.class
    value.context = context
    super
  end
end

class Thing
  attr_accessor :cast_type
  attr_accessor :context
end

class SomeModel
  include ActiveModel::Embedding::Document

  embeds_many :things, cast_type: :some_type
  embeds_many :other_things, cast_type: SomeOtherType.new(context: self)
end

@some_model.things.first.cast_type
# => SomeType
@some_model.other_things.first.cast_type
# => SomeOtherType
@some_model.other_things.first.context
# => SomeModel

Associations

embeds_many

Maps a JSON array to a collection.

Options:

:class_name: Specify the class of the documents in the collection. Inferred by default.
:collection: Specify a custom collection class which includes ActiveModel::Collecting (ActiveModel::Collection by default).
:cast_type: Specify a custom type that should be used to cast the documents in the collection. (the :class_name is ignored if this option is present.)

embed_one

Maps a JSON object to a document.

Options:

:class_name: Same as above.
:cast_type: Same as above.

⚠️ Warning

Embedded associations should only be used if you're sure that the data you want to embed is encapsulated. Which means, that embedded associations should only be accessed through the parent, and not from the outside. Thus, this should only be used if performing joins isn't a viable option.

Read the section below (and this article) for more insights on the use cases of this feature.

Use case: Dealing with bibliographic data

Let's say that we are building an app to help libraries build and manage an online catalog. When we're browsing through a catalog, we often see item information formatted like this:

Author:        Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616.
Title:         Hamlet / William Shakespeare.
Description:   xiii, 295 pages : illustrations ; 23 cm.
Series:        NTC Shakespeare series.
Local Call No: 822.33 S52 S7
ISBN:          0844257443
Series Entry:  NTC Shakespeare series.
Control No.:   ocm30152659

But in the library world, data is produced and exchanged is this form:

LDR 00815nam  2200289 a 4500
001 ocm30152659
003 OCoLC
005 19971028235910.0
008 940909t19941994ilua          000 0 eng
010   $a92060871
020   $a0844257443
040   $aDLC$cDLC$dBKL$dUtOrBLW
049   $aBKLA
099   $a822.33$aS52$aS7
100 1 $aShakespeare, William,$d1564-1616.
245 10$aHamlet /$cWilliam Shakespeare.
264  1$aLincolnwood, Ill. :$bNTC Pub. Group,$c[1994]
264  4$cÂ©1994.
300   $axiii, 295 pages :$billustrations ;$c23 cm.
336   $atext$btxt$2rdacontent.
337   $aunmediated$bn$2rdamedia.
338   $avolume$bnc$2rdacarrier.
490 1 $aNTC Shakespeare series.
830  0$aNTC Shakespeare series.
907   $a.b108930609
948   $aLTI 2018-07-09
948   $aMARS

This is what we call a MARC record. That's how libraries describes the ressources they own.

As you can see, that's really verbose! That's because in the library world, ressources are described very precisely, in order to be "machine-readable" (MARC stands for "MAchine-Readable Cataloging").

For convinience, developpers usually represent MARC data in JSON:

{
  "leader": "00815nam 2200289 a 4500",
  "fields": [
    { "tag": "001", "value": "ocm30152659" },
    { "tag": "003", "value": "OCoLC" },
    { "tag": "005", "value": "19971028235910.0" },
    { "tag": "008", "value": "940909t19941994ilua 000 0 eng " },
    { "tag": "010", "indicator1": " ", "indicator2": " ", "subfields": [{ "code": "a", "value": "92060871" }] },
    { "tag": "020", "indicator1": " ", "indicator2": " ", "subfields": [{ "code": "a", "value": "0844257443" }] },
    { "tag": "040", "indicator1": " ", "indicator2": " ", "subfields": [{ "code": "a", "value": "DLC" }, { "code": "c", "value": "DLC" }, { "code": "d", "value": "BKL" }, { "code": "d", "value": "UtOrBLW" } ] },
    { "tag": "049", "indicator1": " ", "indicator2": " ", "subfields": [{ "code": "a", "value": "BKLA" }] },
    { "tag": "099", "indicator1": " ", "indicator2": " ", "subfields": [{ "code": "a", "value": "822.33" }, { "code": "a", "value": "S52" }, { "code": "a", "value": "S7" } ] },
    { "tag": "100", "indicator1": "1", "indicator2": " ", "subfields": [{ "code": "a", "value": "Shakespeare, William," }, { "code": "d", "value": "1564-1616." } ] },
    { "tag": "245", "indicator1": "1", "indicator2": "0", "subfields": [{ "code": "a", "value": "Hamlet" }, { "code": "c", "value": "William Shakespeare." } ] },
    { "tag": "264", "indicator1": " ", "indicator2": "1", "subfields": [{ "code": "a", "value": "Lincolnwood, Ill. :" }, { "code": "b", "value": "NTC Pub. Group," }, { "code": "c", "value": "[1994]" } ] },
    { "tag": "264", "indicator1": " ", "indicator2": "4", "subfields": [{ "code": "c", "value": "©1994." }] },
    { "tag": "300", "indicator1": " ", "indicator2": " ", "subfields": [{ "code": "a", "value": "xiii, 295 pages :" }, { "code": "b", "value": "illustrations ;" }, { "code": "c", "value": "23 cm." } ] },
    { "tag": "336", "indicator1": " ", "indicator2": " ", "subfields": [{ "code": "a", "value": "text" }, { "code": "b", "value": "txt" }, { "code": "2", "value": "rdacontent." } ] },
    { "tag": "337", "indicator1": " ", "indicator2": " ", "subfields": [{ "code": "a", "value": "unmediated" }, { "code": "b", "value": "n" }, { "code": "2", "value": "rdamedia." } ] },
    { "tag": "338", "indicator1": " ", "indicator2": " ", "subfields": [{ "code": "a", "value": "volume" }, { "code": "b", "value": "nc" }, { "code": "2", "value": "rdacarrier." } ] },
    { "tag": "490", "indicator1": "1", "indicator2": " ", "subfields": [{ "code": "a", "value": "NTC Shakespeare series." }] },
    { "tag": "830", "indicator1": " ", "indicator2": "0", "subfields": [{ "code": "a", "value": "NTC Shakespeare series." }] },
    { "tag": "907", "indicator1": " ", "indicator2": " ", "subfields": [{ "code": "a", "value": ".b108930609" }] },
    { "tag": "948", "indicator1": " ", "indicator2": " ", "subfields": [{ "code": "a", "value": "LTI 2018-07-09" }] },
    { "tag": "948", "indicator1": " ", "indicator2": " ", "subfields": [{ "code": "a", "value": "MARS" }] }
  ]
}

By looking at this JSON representation, we can see that the data is...

Nested: A MARC record contains many fields, and most of them contains multiple subfields.
Dynamic: Some fields are repeatable ("264" and "948"), and subfields too. The first fields don't have subfields nor indicators (they're called control fields).
Encapsulated: The meaning of subfields depends on the field they're in (take a look at the "a" subfield for example).

All those characteristics can be grouped into what we call: semi-structured data.

Semi-structured data is a form of structured data that does not obey the tabular structure of data models associated with relational databases or other forms of data tables, but nonetheless contains tags or other markers to separate semantic elements and enforce hierarchies of records and fields within the data. Therefore, it is also known as self-describing structure. - Wikipedia

A perfect example of that is HTML documents. An HTML document contains different types of tags, which can nested with one and other. It wouldn't make sense to model HTML documents with tables and columns. Imagine having to access nested tags through joins, considering the fact that we could potentially have hundreds of them on a single HTML document. That's why we usually store this kind of data in a text field.

In our case, we're using JSON to represent MARC data. Luckily for us, we can store JSON data directly in relational databases like Postgres or MySQL:

# config/initializers/inflections.rb
ActiveSupport::Inflector.inflections(:en) do |inflect|
  inflect.acronym "MARC"
end

> rails g model marc/record leader:string fields:json
> rails db:migrate

We can then create a MARC record like this:

MARC::Record.create leader: "00815nam 2200289 a 4500", fields: [
  { "tag": "001", "value": "ocm30152659" },
  { "tag": "003", "value": "OCoLC" },
  { "tag": "005", "value": "19971028235910.0" },
  { "tag": "008", "value": "940909t19941994ilua 000 0 eng " },
  { "tag": "010", "indicator1": " ", "indicator2": " ", "subfields": [{ "code": "a", "value": "92060871" }] },
  { "tag": "020", "indicator1": " ", "indicator2": " ", "subfields": [{ "code": "a", "value": "0844257443" }] },
  { "tag": "040", "indicator1": " ", "indicator2": " ", "subfields": [{ "code": "a", "value": "DLC" }, { "code": "c", "value": "DLC" }, { "code": "d", "value": "BKL" }, { "code": "d", "value": "UtOrBLW" } ] },
  { "tag": "049", "indicator1": " ", "indicator2": " ", "subfields": [{ "code": "a", "value": "BKLA" }] },
  { "tag": "099", "indicator1": " ", "indicator2": " ", "subfields": [{ "code": "a", "value": "822.33" }, { "code": "a", "value": "S52" }, { "code": "a", "value": "S7" } ] },
  { "tag": "100", "indicator1": "1", "indicator2": " ", "subfields": [{ "code": "a", "value": "Shakespeare, William," }, { "code": "d", "value": "1564-1616." } ] },
  { "tag": "245", "indicator1": "1", "indicator2": "0", "subfields": [{ "code": "a", "value": "Hamlet" }, { "code": "c", "value": "William Shakespeare." } ] },
  { "tag": "264", "indicator1": " ", "indicator2": "1", "subfields": [{ "code": "a", "value": "Lincolnwood, Ill. :" }, { "code": "b", "value": "NTC Pub. Group," }, { "code": "c", "value": "[1994]" } ] },
  { "tag": "264", "indicator1": " ", "indicator2": "4", "subfields": [{ "code": "c", "value": "©1994." }] },
  { "tag": "300", "indicator1": " ", "indicator2": " ", "subfields": [{ "code": "a", "value": "xiii, 295 pages :" }, { "code": "b", "value": "illustrations ;" }, { "code": "c", "value": "23 cm." } ] },
  { "tag": "336", "indicator1": " ", "indicator2": " ", "subfields": [{ "code": "a", "value": "text" }, { "code": "b", "value": "txt" }, { "code": "2", "value": "rdacontent." } ] },
  { "tag": "337", "indicator1": " ", "indicator2": " ", "subfields": [{ "code": "a", "value": "unmediated" }, { "code": "b", "value": "n" }, { "code": "2", "value": "rdamedia." } ] },
  { "tag": "338", "indicator1": " ", "indicator2": " ", "subfields": [{ "code": "a", "value": "volume" }, { "code": "b", "value": "nc" }, { "code": "2", "value": "rdacarrier." } ] },
  { "tag": "490", "indicator1": "1", "indicator2": " ", "subfields": [{ "code": "a", "value": "NTC Shakespeare series." }] },
  { "tag": "830", "indicator1": " ", "indicator2": "0", "subfields": [{ "code": "a", "value": "NTC Shakespeare series." }] },
  { "tag": "907", "indicator1": " ", "indicator2": " ", "subfields": [{ "code": "a", "value": ".b108930609" }] },
  { "tag": "948", "indicator1": " ", "indicator2": " ", "subfields": [{ "code": "a", "value": "LTI 2018-07-09" }] },
  { "tag": "948", "indicator1": " ", "indicator2": " ", "subfields": [{ "code": "a", "value": "MARS" }] }
]

And access it this way:

> record = MARC::Record.first
> field = record.fields.find { |field| field["tag"] == "245" }
> subfield = field["subfields"].first
> subfield["value"]
=> "Hamlet"

It works, but...

It's not very convinient to access nested data this way.
We cannot easily attach logic to our JSON data without polluting our model.

What if we could interact with our JSON data the same way we do with ActiveRecord associations ? Enters ActiveModel and the AttributesAPI !

First, we have to define a custom type which...

Maps JSON objects to ActiveModel-compliant objects.
Handles collections.

To do that, we'll add the following options to our type:

:class_name: The class name of an ActiveModel-compliant object.
:collection: Specify if the attribute is a collection. Default to false.

class DocumentType < ::ActiveModel::Type::Value
  attr_reader :document_class, :collection

  def initialize(class_name:, collection: false)
    @document_class = class_name.constantize
    @collection     = collection
  end

  def cast(value)
    if collection
      value.map { |attributes| process attributes }
    else
      process value
    end
  end

  def process(value)
    document_class.new(value)
  end

  def serialize(value)
    value.to_json
  end

  def deserialize(json)
    value = ActiveSupport::JSON.decode(json)

    cast value
  end

  # Track changes
  def changed_in_place?(old_value, new_value)
    deserialize(old_value) != new_value
  end
end

Let's register our type as we gonna use it multiple times:

# config/initializers/type.rb
ActiveModel::Type.register(:document, DocumentType)
ActiveRecord::Type.register(:document, DocumentType)

Now we can use it in our models:

class MARC::Record < ApplicationRecord
  attribute :fields, :document,
    class_name: "MARC::Record::Field",
    collection: true

  # Hash-like reader method
  def [](tag)
    occurences = fields.select { |field| field.tag == tag }
    occurences.first unless occurences.count > 1
  end
end

class MARC::Record::Field
  include ActiveModel::Model
  include ActiveModel::Attributes
  include ActiveModel::Serializers::JSON

  attribute :tag, :string
  attribute :indicator1, :string
  attribute :indicator2, :string
  attribute :subfields, :document,
    class_name: "MARC::Record::Field::Subfield",
    collection: true

  attribute :value, :string

  # Some domain logic
  def value=(value)
    @value = value if control_field?
  end

  def control_field?
    /00\d/ === tag
  end

  # Yet another Hash-like reader method
  def [](code)
    occurences = subfields.find { |subfield| subfield.code == code }
    occurences.first unless occurences.count > 1
  end

  # Used to track changes
  def ==(other)
    attributes == other.attributes
  end
end

class MARC::Record::Field::Subfield
  include ActiveModel::Model
  include ActiveModel::Attributes
  include ActiveModel::Serializers::JSON

  attribute :code, :string
  attribute :value, :string

  # Used to track changes
  def ==(other)
    attributes == other.attributes
  end
end

> record = MARC::Record.first
> record.fields.first.class
=> MARC::Record::Field

> record.fields.first.control_field?
=> true

> record.fields.first.subfields.first.class
=> MARC::Record::Field::Subfield

> record["245"]["a"].value
=> "Hamlet"

> record.changed?
=> false

> record["245"]["a"].value = "Romeo and Juliet"
> record["245"]["a"].value
=> "Romeo and Juliet"

> record.changed?
=> true

Et voilà ! Home-made associations !

If we want to go further, we can...

Create our custom collection class to provide functionalities like ActiveRecord collection proxies.
Add support for nested attributes.
Emulate persistence to update specific objects.
Provide a way to resolve constants, so that we can use the relative name of a constant instead of it's full name. For example, "MARC::Record::Field" could be referred as "Field" in our example.

And that's what this extension does. (Nothing fancy, in fact the code is quite simple. So don't be afraid to dive into it if you want to know how it was implemented !)

Here's the updated version with the extension:

class MARC::Record < ApplicationRecord
  include ActiveModel::Embedding::Associations

  embeds_many :fields

  # ...
end

class MARC::Record::Field
  include ActiveModel::Embedding::Document

  # ...

  embeds_many :subfields

  # ...
end

class MARC::Record::Field::Subfield
  include ActiveModel::Embedding::Document

  # ...
end

We can then use our embedded associations in the views as nested attributes:

# app/views/marc/records/_form.html.erb
<%= form_with model: @record do |record_form| %>
  <% @record.fields.each do |field| %>
    <%= record_form.fields_for :fields, field do |field_fields| %>

      <%= field_fields.label :tag %>
      <%= field_fields.text_field :tag %>

      <% if field.control_field? %>
        <%= field_fields.text_field :value %>
      <% else %>
        <%= field_fields.text_field :indicator1 %>
        <%= field_fields.text_field :indicator2 %>

        <%= field_fields.fields_for :subfields do |subfield_fields| %>
          <%= subfield_fields.label :code %>
          <%= subfield_fields.text_field :code %>
          <%= subfield_fields.text_field :value %>
        <% end %>
      <% end %>
    <% end %>
  <% end %>

  <%= record_form.submit %>
<% end %>

Concepts

Document

A JSON object mapped to a PORO which includes ActiveModel::Embedding::Document. Usually part of a collection.

Collection

A JSON array mapped to an ActiveModel::Embedding::Collection (or any class that includes ActiveModel::Embedding::Collecting). Stores collections of documents.

Embedded associations

Models structural hierarchies in semi-structured data, by "embedding" the content of children directly in the parent, instead of using references like foreign keys. See Embedded Data Models from MongoDB's docs.

Semi-structured data

Data that don't fit in the relational model.

Semi-structured data is a form of structured data that does not obey the tabular structure of data models associated with relational databases or other forms of data tables, but nonetheless contains tags or other markers to separate semantic elements and enforce hierarchies of records and fields within the data. Therefore, it is also known as self-describing structure. - Wikipedia

Components

`ActiveModel::Type::Document`

A polymorphic cast type (registered as :document). Maps JSON objects to POROs that includes ActiveModel::Embedding::Document. Provides support for defining collections.

`ActiveModel::Embedding::Associations`

API for defining embedded associations. Uses the Attributes API with the :document type.

`ActiveModel::Embedding::Document`

A mixin which includes everything needed to work with the :document type (ActiveModel::Model, ActiveModel::Attributes, ActiveModel::Serializers::JSON, ActiveModel::Embedding::Associations). Provides an id attribute and implements methods like #persisted? and #save to emulate persistence.

`ActiveModel::Embedding::Collecting`

A mixin which provides capabailities similar to ActiveRecord collection proxies. Provides support for nested attributes.

`ActiveModel::Embedding::Collection`

Default collection class. Includes ActiveModel::Embedding::Collecting.

Installation

Add this line to your application's Gemfile:

gem 'activemodel-embedding'

And then execute:

$ bundle

Or install it yourself as:

$ gem install activemodel-embedding

License

The gem is available as open source under the terms of the MIT License.

Alternatives

Here's some alternatives I came accross after I've started working on this gem:

Each one uses a different approach to solve the same problem.

Name		Name	Last commit message	Last commit date
Latest commit History 103 Commits
bin		bin
lib		lib
test		test
.gitignore		.gitignore
CHANGELOG.md		CHANGELOG.md
Gemfile		Gemfile
Gemfile.lock		Gemfile.lock
MIT-LICENSE		MIT-LICENSE
README.md		README.md
Rakefile		Rakefile
activemodel-embedding.gemspec		activemodel-embedding.gemspec

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ActiveModel::Embedding

Features

Introduction

Usage

Validations

Custom collections

Custom types

Associations

embeds_many

embed_one

⚠️ Warning

Use case: Dealing with bibliographic data

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Document

Collection

Embedded associations

Semi-structured data

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Introduction

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Custom types

Associations

embeds_many

embed_one

⚠️ Warning

Use case: Dealing with bibliographic data

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Document

Collection

Embedded associations

Semi-structured data

Components

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ActiveModel::Embedding::Associations

ActiveModel::Embedding::Document

ActiveModel::Embedding::Collecting

ActiveModel::Embedding::Collection

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