Ok so I know it means "Entity Attribute Value" but could somebody explain in earthling terms what it is, how it differs from traditional MySQL database modelling and why you would want to do it?

Apparently Magento employs EAV, so I am trying to get my head around it.

The definition at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Entity-...te-value_model seems pretty clear. EAV is just big words describing a simple idea. (If it isn't clear now, then sorry, I can't explain it any better.)

could somebody explain in earthling terms

Well I'd give it a try, but usually I end up looking at a "1000 yard stare".

Entity Attribute Value is basically the value of the properties that define the entity (parent object)


And yes it's big words to hide a simple idea.

Originally Posted by chrishirst

Well I'd give it a try, but usually I end up looking at a "1000 yard stare"...

Can you see it from as far away as Blackpool?

Entity-Attribute-Value (EAV) is a data model which is used to describe entities in the situation where number of attributes used is very large but the number that will actually explain a given entity is relatively modest.............