# When Your Source of Truth is Reality

DevFeed: [When Your Source of Truth is Reality](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/when-your-source-of-truth-is-reality-38392.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://blog.danlew.net/2025/07/01/when-your-source-of-truth-is-reality/>)

Author: Dan Lew

Published: 2025-07-01T13:00:26Z

Content type: opinion

Language: en

Sources: [Dan Lew Blog](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/dan-lew-blog.md>)

Topics: [Databases](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/databases.md>), [data](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/data.md>)

Tags: [data](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/data.md>), [database-design](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/database-design.md>), [databases](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/databases.md>), [source-of-truth](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/source-of-truth.md>)

## AI overview

This opinion article argues that databases tracking real-world entities can never be perfectly authoritative because reality changes and records may be incomplete or inaccurate. It uses a community orchestra roster and other examples to explain the limits of the single source of truth concept.

## Source excerpt

Let me tell you a story about why one should be cautious with databases that track the real world. I play trombone in a local community orchestra. For the past two years, I've been the board secretary; part of my duties is keeping a roster of who is