# Is ActiveRecord appropriate for this use case?

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/is-activerecord-appropriate-for-this-use-case/146021>\
**Category:** Rails\
**Created:** [August 16, 2008, 6:23am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/is-activerecord-appropriate-for-this-use-case/146021 "2008-08-16T06:23:26Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![snowbird122](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/c68b51/32.png) [@snowbird122](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/snowbird122)\
**Post date:** [August 16, 2008, 6:23am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/is-activerecord-appropriate-for-this-use-case/146021/1 "2008-08-16T06:23:26Z")

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Hello-

I’m creating an app that handles logging and reporting on system  
metrics. It’s in the same vein as ScoutApp, but is just for my own  
educational benefit. The core of the app handles logging data that  
will be reported on later. Each piece of data has a category, a value,  
and a timestamp (that isn’t necessarily now). My question is, should I  
be storing this information using direct calls to the DB or should I  
use ActiveRecord. I’m on the fence. I like the ease of ActiveRecord,  
but given that I don’t need the full array of CRUD operations and  
there is little need to treat the data being logged as an object, my  
hunch is to stear towards direct DB calls. What do you think?

Regards-  
Eric

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![snowbird122](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/c68b51/32.png) [@snowbird122](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/snowbird122)\
**Post date:** [August 16, 2008, 2:19pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/is-activerecord-appropriate-for-this-use-case/146021/2 "2008-08-16T14:19:39Z")

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I cannot understand which benefit (except additional headache) gives  
direct calls to DB. Any program must be as readable as possible. So,  
please take some advise: simplicity is the key.