How do I decide between using map, big_map, and record?

Development
1

1. sp.map and sp.big_map:

  • Dynamic & Flexible: Suitable for data without a fixed structure or where entries can change over time, like user balances in a token contract.
  • Growing Collections: If the map might grow indefinitely, consider using sp.big_map as it’s optimized for larger datasets and it avoids gas lock problems.

2. sp.record:

  • Structured & Consistent: Ideal for data with a defined set of fields that are always used together, e.g., product details.

It’s worth noting that records can be used both as keys and values in maps, allowing for a blend of structured and dynamic data handling within your contract.

1 Like