Tidbas

Tidbas is a concept in database design that denotes a time-based database capable of storing, indexing, and querying data according to temporal dimensions such as validity time and transaction time. In tidbas models, each record carries one or more time intervals that describe when the data is true in the modeled world (valid-time) and when the data was stored or visible to users (transaction-time). Some tidbas implementations support bi-temporal data, enabling queries that reflect data as it was valid at a given point in time or as it was recorded by the system.

Tidbas data models typically use versioning; inserts create new versions rather than overwriting existing ones, and deletions may end validity intervals or create tombstones. Storage can be implemented in relational DBMS with temporal extensions or in specialized time-series or temporal stores. Common features include temporal indexing, time-window queries, and operators to select records as of a given time, during a time interval, or over a history of changes. Query languages may extend SQL with temporal predicates or provide a dedicated query interface.

Use cases include financial auditing, compliance and governance, sensor data management, and historical analytics where traces of past states matter. Tidbas emphasizes data integrity over time, enabling reproducible analyses and regulatory reporting.

While related to time-series databases, tidbas emphasizes the explicit handling of temporal validity and auditability, which distinguishes it from stores optimized solely for high-volume sequential measurements. The concept has roots in the broader study of temporal databases and bitemporal data management.

See also: temporal database, bitemporal database, time-series database, event sourcing, SQL:2011 temporal features.