Conclusion
The table below shows an overview of how well the storage solutions scored for each of the criteria. Totals are calculated by taking the sum of the scores multiplied by the respective weight factor.
| Criterion | Weight | File | Object | Database |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total size | 5 | 4 | 5 | 3 |
| Item size | 3 | 5 | 5 | 4 |
| Performance | 3 | 5 | 3 | 1 |
| Accessing data | 3 | 3 | 5 | 2 |
| JavaScripts support | 5 | 5 | 4 | 2 |
| Scalability | 2 | 4 | 5 | 1 |
| Portability | 1 | 3 | 5 | 2 |
| Total | 95 | 99 | 50 |
File and object storage are both strong contenders. Object storage is more cloud-focussed, but at the same time allows access from across the internet. File storage is easier to start with locally, as every server has some kind of drive that files can be stored on. Although the infinite scalability of object systems is an attractive feature, local file storage should in many cases be enough for personal uses. Ultimately, this makes files storage more in line with the self-hosted nature of the Photo Gallery, which means I’ll be using it to develop the application.