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Python Build a Social Network with Flask How to Win Friends Relationship Model

Posted by S L
S L
31,336 Points

Why are relationship columns named "from_user" and "to_user" ( instead of "user" and "follower")?

What is the convention or reason behind naming the relationship table columns "from_user" and "to_user"?

I had a bit trouble understanding how the joins work, until i renamed the fields to "user" and "follower" - with a stopgap of names "user_id" and "follower_id".

This code seems much easier to understand for me:

    def following(self):
        """The users that we are following"""
        return (
            User.select()   # Select all users
                .join(Relationship, on=Relationship.user)  # that are in relationship table via "users" field
                .where(Relationship.follower == self)  # where the relationship "follower" field contains "current user"
        )

Also the stopgap version: That also has the redundant User.id == Relationship.user_id parameter in the join clause which might be helpful with little bit of SQL knowledge:

    def following(self):
        """The users that we are following"""
        return (
            User.select()   # Select all users
                .join(Relationship, on=User.id == Relationship.user_id)  # join by user.id = relationship.user_id 
                .where(Relationship.follower_id == self)  # and follower_id = currentuser.id 
        )

Are there any cases where from_user and to_user make more sense? Or does it just seem to make more sense to me because i have seen similar naming before?