database-replica-of-an-app

Use it when

• People need SQL over app data: joins, reports, dashboards, other systems reading it.
• The copy may lag the app by 0 seconds of added wait up to 24 hours, set by the Data Sync Frequency.
• The tables hold 1,000 records or more, so exports by hand stop being practical.

Why this design

Advantages:

• One-way from the app: nothing in the database can overwrite the app.
• Queries run against the database, spending no app API calls.
• Table pairs per object, all in one sync.

Trade-offs:

• The first run copies every record; large tables take hours and many app calls.
• Deletes in the app are copied to the database unless Delete Protection is on for the database.

Alternatives and why they lose: