Database Schema

Last Updated: February 25, 2026

Overview

Herald uses Cloud Firestore as its primary database. Firestore is a NoSQL document database that provides real-time synchronization, offline support, and automatic scaling.

Why Firestore?

• Tight Firebase Integration: Seamless integration with Firebase Auth
• Security Rules: Built-in security rules engine
• Real-time: Supports real-time updates (useful for future features)
• Scalable: Auto-scales from prototype to production
• Cost-Effective: Pay-as-you-go pricing, generous free tier

Collections Structure

Firestore Database
├── users/                    # User profiles and account data
│   ├── {uid}/
│   │   ├── firstName
│   │   ├── middleName
│   │   ├── lastName
│   │   ├── email
│   │   ├── positions
│   │   ├── mustChangePassword
│   │   ├── emailVerified
│   │   ├── disabled
│   │   ├── createdAt
│   │   ├── createdBy
│   │   └── lastLoginAt
│
├── positions/                # Organizational positions with permissions
│   ├── {positionId}/
│   │   ├── name
│   │   ├── abbreviation
│   │   ├── description
│   │   ├── permissions
│   │   ├── createdAt
│   │   └── updatedAt
│
└── auditLogs/                # Admin action audit trail
    ├── {logId}/
    │   ├── action
    │   ├── performedBy
    │   ├── targetUser
    │   ├── timestamp
    │   └── details

Collection: users

Purpose: Store user profiles, account settings, and metadata

Document ID: Firebase Auth UID (auto-generated by Firebase)

Schema