title: A multiple choice input for a database as a string or integer?
body: <p>If I have a database object that has a row that a user on a website can chose to be only a small number of predetermined options would it be bad practice to explicitly store these options, or would it be best to go for an integer?</p>
  
  <p>Example:</p>
  
  <p>A user has to fill in a form and one of the input questions is:</p>
  
  <p><em>Would you like:</em></p>
  
  <ul>
  <li>type a</li>
  <li>type b</li>
  <li>type c</li>
  </ul>
  
  <p>And that's it.</p>
  
  <p>Would it be bad to store this as strings, ex. "type a"?</p>
  
  <p>Would it be better to store the options as integers? 1, 2, 3 in this case. </p>
  
  <p>If you think about memory, the answer is easy. If you think about overview, it's a different question, unless you have a very well structured mind of course.</p>
  
  <p>The latter could of course be overcome if you make your own "admin space" or whatever in which the translation is made for you. </p>
  
  <p>Anyhow, multiple choice questions. What is recommended?</p>