LFDatabase

The Problem

Unity projects with lots of game data face the same challenges:

• Manually creating and managing hundreds of ScriptableObject assets
• No efficient way to search or filter entries at runtime
• Performance issues when loading large datasets
• Writing repetitive boilerplate code for every new data type
• No built-in import/export for external tools or spreadsheets
• Difficult to query data with LINQ or complex filters

The Solution

LFDatabase is a production-ready database management system built on top of ScriptableObjects. It provides a complete framework for creating, managing, and querying typed databases with automatic code generation, async loading, compression, and advanced search.

A 4-step setup wizard generates custom database classes from templates. The generated code is yours to own and extend. No vendor lock-in.

Database Class Hierarchy

Type-safe generic base class with full C# support:

LFDatabaseSO<T> (Generic Base Class)
├── Type-safe LINQ queries
├── Automatic indexing (ID, Category, Tags)
├── Async/Sync loading
├── Compression support
└── Event system

Generated Database Classes:
├── CharacterDatabase : LFDatabaseSO<CharacterEntry>
├── ItemDatabase : LFDatabaseSO<ItemEntry>
└── CustomDatabase : LFDatabaseSO<CustomEntry>

Entry Base Class

Every database entry inherits from LFDatabaseEntry with built-in fields:

• id - Unique string identifier
• displayName - Human-readable name
• description - Text description
• category - Grouping/filtering category
• tags - Array of searchable tags

Add custom fields through the Setup Wizard with full serialization support.

Performance Characteristics

• Lookup Speed: O(1) for ID lookups via dictionary index
• Category Search: O(1) for indexed categories
• Tag Search: O(1) for indexed tags with AND/OR logic
• Memory Overhead: ~1KB per indexed entry
• Compression Ratio: 40-60% reduction for text-heavy data
• Cache Size: Configurable LRU cache (default 500 entries)
• Async Loading: Chunked index building (100 entries per chunk)

11 Editor Tools Included

Database Registry System

Centralized management for all databases in your project:

• Automatic Discovery: Finds all databases in project (editor) or Resources folder (runtime)
• Type-Safe Access: GetDatabase<T>() with full IntelliSense support
• Multi-Access Patterns: Get by type, name, or get all databases
• Events: OnDatabasesRefreshed and OnDatabaseRegistered for observers
• Statistics: Total entry counts, memory usage, and type information

Basic Usage Example

// Get database from registry
var characterDB = LFDatabaseRegistry.GetDatabase<CharacterDatabase>();

// Load database (async with callback)
await characterDB.LoadAsync();

// Get entry by ID (O(1) lookup)
var hero = characterDB.GetEntryByID("hero_001");

// Search by category
var enemies = characterDB.GetEntriesByCategory("Enemy");

// Search by tags (AND logic)
var bossEnemies = characterDB.GetEntriesByTags(new[] { "Boss", "Elite" });

// Full-text search across all fields
var results = LFDatabaseSearch.SearchAcrossAllDatabases("dragon");

// LINQ queries (type-safe)
var highLevelCharacters = characterDB.Entries
    .Where(c => c.Level > 50)
    .OrderByDescending(c => c.Health)
    .ToList();

// Add new entry at runtime
characterDB.AddEntry(new CharacterEntry
{
    id = "npc_001",
    displayName = "Village Elder",
    category = "NPC"
});

Advanced Features

// Async loading with progress tracking
var loader = AsyncDatabaseLoader.Instance;
loader.LoadDatabase(characterDB, priority: 1, onComplete: () => {
    Debug.Log("Character database loaded!");
});

// Cross-database search with filters
var searchOptions = new LFDatabaseSearchOptions
{
    searchOperator = SearchOperator.Contains,
    categoryFilter = "Weapon",
    includeTags = new[] { "Rare", "Legendary" },
    sortBy = SortOption.Relevance
};
var weapons = LFDatabaseSearch.Search("sword", searchOptions);

// Export database to JSON
string json = LFDatabaseImportExport.ExportToJson(characterDB);
File.WriteAllText("characters_backup.json", json);

// Import from JSON with validation
var importResult = LFDatabaseImportExport.ImportFromJson(jsonString, characterDB);
if (importResult.success) {
    Debug.Log($"Imported {importResult.importedCount} entries");
}