Mura ORM
Before you proceed through this section, it's important to have at least a basic understanding of object-oriented programming (OOP) and its principles. It would be wise to take advantage of the plethora of resources, available both online and offline, before you continue in this section. Additionally, having a solid understanding of relational database management systems (RDBMSs) is extremely helpful when working through this section.
Object-Relational Mapping (ORM)
Since relational database management systems (RDBMSs) don't store objects directly, object-relational mapping (ORM), attempts to bridge the world to object-oriented programming (OOP). According to Wikipedia, ORM addresses the main issue for OOP developers who work with RDBMSs, by "translating the logical representation of objects into an atomized form capable of being stored in a database, while preserving the properties of objects and their relationships so they can be reloaded as objects when needed." In other words, ORM essentially creates a "virtual object database" that can be used by programmers.
What is Mura ORM?
Mura ORM is essentially a "virtual object database" that can be used by Mura developers. It allows developers the ability to create their own objects, and work with them in the same ways Mura developers can work with Mura's bean objects. This means developers don't have to worry about what kind of database Mura is running on, or write a ton of SQL to perform many of the most mundane tasks such as creating, reading, updating, or deleting objects and their associated database records.
While comparable in nature to ColdFusion ORM, Mura ORM is not exactly the same. However, if you've worked with ColdFusion ORM before, you will definitely find many similarities with Mura ORM.