When we create an entity in the data-modeler, there are 2 options in the “Entity Type” dropdown namely “Temporary Entity” and “Business Entity”.
I need to know the purpose of both the types.
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Business Entity : Business Entity is the core of any application, and all structure of all business-related data will be defined here.
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Temporary Entity : Temporary Entity as the name suggests is used for intermediate calculations and it only persists till the session lasts. These parameters will be used in tasks and events only in vDesigner.
In simple terms, Business Entities store important overall information, Temporary Entities hold temporary data for quick tasks, and Transient Entities are like temporary notes that you decide to keep for later. Each type helps you manage and use data in different ways in your app.
Table summarizing the key differences:
| Feature | Business Entity | Temporary Entity | Transient Entity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Long-term storage | Short-lived tasks | Intermediate, persistent data |
| Persistence | Permanent | Discarded after session | Permanent & Event-driven |
| Binding with UI elements of vDesigner-2.0 | Default Value & Entity Path | Default Value only | Default Value only |
Event-driven: This means the Transient Entity will hold its data until a specific event happens in your application. For example, imagine you’re storing information about a user’s shopping cart. The Transient Entity might hold that cart information until the user completes their purchase (the event). Once the purchase is complete, the data is no longer needed and can be discarded.
Business Entity:
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This entity acts as the central repository for all the crucial, long-lasting data your application relies on. A Business Entity contains the complete set of data that captures the entire app journey, i.e. it holds all the data needed for the main purpose of your app.
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This type of entity is ideal for storing data that needs to be persisted and accessed across different stages of the application.
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Business Entities can be bound to both the “Default Value” and “Entity Path” of UI elements, making them essential for integrating data into the user interface.
Use Case Example: A Business Entity could be used to store customer information in an e-commerce application, capturing details such as name, address, and purchase history throughout the customer’s interaction with the app.
Temporary Entity:
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Unlike Business Entities, data stored in a Temporary Entity is not persisted beyond the current session. These entities are ideal for storing temporary data that is only needed for a specific task or transaction.
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Use this entity for data that’s only needed for a specific task within a single user session. Think of it as a temporary workspace for calculations or data manipulation. Once the task is complete, the data is discarded.
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Imagine processing a large API response to extract just the information required for one step in your user journey. The Temporary Entity holds that data until you move on, then it disappears.
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Temporary Entities can be bound to the “Default Value” of UI elements, enabling the use of temporary data in task execution.
Use Case Example: A Temporary Entity could be used to store the result of a calculation in a financial application, such as a temporary total during a multi-step calculation process.
Transient Entity:
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Transient Entities are a special type of entity that is created when the “Persist” option is selected for a Temporary Entity.
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Transient Entities are similar to Temporary Entities but persist beyond the current session or until a certain event occurs, offering more flexibility than Temporary Entities.
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These entities are used for intermediate transactions within the application’s journey.
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Like Temporary Entities, Transient Entities can be bound to the “Default Value” of UI elements.
Use Case Example: A Transient Entity could be used to store user preferences in a mobile application, ensuring that the preferences are retained across sessions.
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