Storage System

Flatboard Team • 12/12/2025 • 5 min de lecture

Storage System

Flatboard 5 supports two storage systems: JSON (file-based) and SQLite (database). This guide explains both systems and how to choose between them.

Storage Overview

JSON Storage

Available in: Community and Pro Editions
Type: File-based storage
Format: JSON files in /stockage/json/
Best for: Small to medium communities
Pros: Simple, no database, easy backups
Cons: Slower for very large datasets

SQLite Storage

Available in: Pro Edition only
Type: Database storage
Format: SQLite database file
Best for: Medium to large communities
Pros: Better performance, SQL queries, transactions
Cons: Requires pdo_sqlite extension

JSON Storage

Structure

JSON storage uses organized file structure:

stockage/json/
├── config.json          # Configuration
├── users/               # User data
│   ├── user_123.json
│   └── user_456.json
├── categories/          # Categories
│   ├── category_1.json
│   └── category_2.json
├── discussions/        # Discussions
│   ├── discussion_1.json
│   └── discussion_2.json
└── posts/              # Posts
    ├── post_1.json
    └── post_2.json

File Format

Example user file (users/user_123.json):

{
  "id": "123",
  "username": "john_doe",
  "email": "[email protected]",
  "password_hash": "$2y$10$...",
  "created_at": "2025-12-25T10:00:00Z",
  "group_id": "member",
  "reputation": 100
}

Advantages

No Database Required - Works without database setup
Easy Backups - Simple file copy
Human Readable - JSON files are readable
Portable - Easy to move between servers
Version Control - Can use Git for versioning

Limitations

Performance - Slower for large datasets
Concurrent Access - File locking required
No SQL Queries - Limited query capabilities
File System - Depends on file system performance

SQLite Storage (Pro Edition)

Database Structure

SQLite uses standard relational database:

-- Users table
CREATE TABLE users (
    id TEXT PRIMARY KEY,
    username TEXT UNIQUE NOT NULL,
    email TEXT UNIQUE NOT NULL,
    password_hash TEXT NOT NULL,
    created_at TEXT NOT NULL,
    group_id TEXT NOT NULL,
    reputation INTEGER DEFAULT 0
);

-- Discussions table
CREATE TABLE discussions (
    id TEXT PRIMARY KEY,
    title TEXT NOT NULL,
    content TEXT NOT NULL,
    category_id TEXT NOT NULL,
    author_id TEXT NOT NULL,
    created_at TEXT NOT NULL,
    reply_count INTEGER DEFAULT 0,
    view_count INTEGER DEFAULT 0
);

Advantages

Performance - Faster for large datasets
SQL Queries - Full SQL query support
Transactions - ACID transactions
Indexes - Database indexes for speed
Concurrent Access - Better concurrency

Limitations

Pro Edition Only - Requires Pro Edition
Extension Required - Needs pdo_sqlite
Backup Complexity - Database backup required
Less Portable - Database file management

Choosing Storage Type

Use JSON When:

Small to medium community (< 10,000 users)
Simple setup preferred
Easy backups needed
No database experience
Community Edition

Use SQLite When:

Medium to large community (> 10,000 users)
Better performance needed
Complex queries required
Pro Edition available
Database experience

Migration Between Storage Types

Using StorageMigrator Plugin

Install StorageMigrator plugin
Go to Admin Panel > Storage Migrator
Select target storage type
Review migration preview
Start migration
Verify data after migration

Always backup your data before migrating between storage types. Migration cannot be undone.

Manual Migration

For advanced users:

Backup Current Data - Full backup
Export Data - Export from current storage
Import Data - Import to new storage
Verify - Check all data migrated
Update Config - Change storage type in config

Storage Optimization

JSON Optimization

Regular Cleanup - Remove old/unused files
Archive Old Data - Move old content to archive
Organize Files - Keep structure organized
File Permissions - Set correct permissions

SQLite Optimization

-- Vacuum database
VACUUM;

-- Analyze tables
ANALYZE;

-- Reindex
REINDEX;

-- Optimize
PRAGMA optimize;

Via Admin Panel:

Admin Panel > Tools > Database > Optimize

Backup and Restore

JSON Backup

# Backup JSON storage
tar -czf backup-json-$(date +%Y%m%d).tar.gz stockage/json/

# Restore JSON storage
tar -xzf backup-json-20251225.tar.gz

SQLite Backup

# Backup SQLite database
sqlite3 stockage/sqlite/flatboard.db ".backup backup.db"

# Restore SQLite database
sqlite3 stockage/sqlite/flatboard.db < backup.sql

Automated Backups

Set up automated backups:

#!/bin/bash
# Backup script
DATE=$(date +%Y%m%d)
BACKUP_DIR="/backups"

# JSON backup
tar -czf $BACKUP_DIR/json-$DATE.tar.gz stockage/json/

# SQLite backup (if Pro)
if [ -f "stockage/sqlite/flatboard.db" ]; then
    sqlite3 stockage/sqlite/flatboard.db ".backup $BACKUP_DIR/sqlite-$DATE.db"
fi

Storage Maintenance

Regular Maintenance

Clean Old Data - Remove old/unused content
Optimize Storage - Run optimization commands
Check Disk Space - Monitor available space
Verify Integrity - Check data integrity

Cleanup Commands

# Clean old cache
php app/Cli/console.php cleanup:cache

# Clean empty discussions
php app/Cli/console.php cleanup:empty-discussions

# Clean old storage
php app/Cli/console.php cleanup:storage

Troubleshooting

Storage Issues

JSON:

Check file permissions
Verify disk space
Check for file locks
Review error logs

SQLite:

Check database file permissions
Verify pdo_sqlite extension
Check database integrity
Review error logs

Performance Issues

JSON:

Consider migrating to SQLite
Optimize file structure
Archive old data
Increase server resources

SQLite:

Add indexes
Optimize queries
Vacuum database
Consider JSON for small sites

Best Practices

General

Regular Backups - Backup storage regularly
Monitor Space - Watch disk usage
Optimize Regularly - Run optimization
Test Restores - Test backup restoration

JSON Specific

Organize Files - Keep structure clean
Archive Old Data - Move old content
Set Permissions - Correct file permissions
Monitor Performance - Watch for slowdowns

SQLite Specific

Regular VACUUM - Vacuum database regularly
Use Indexes - Add indexes for queries
Optimize Queries - Write efficient queries
Monitor Size - Watch database growth

Resources

Configuration Guide - Storage configuration
Performance Guide - Storage optimization
Backup Guide - Backup and restore
Troubleshooting - Storage issues

Last updated: February 23, 2026