Understanding Data Types in Bubble.io   In Bubble.io, data types are essentially tables in your database. Each data type contains different fields (similar to columns in a spreadsheet), and each field holds data entries.   Creating Data Types   To create data types, follow these steps:  

• Go to the Data tab in your Bubble editor.
• Click on the "Data types" section.
• Click "Create a new type" to define a new data type (e.g., “User,” “Product”).
• Add fields to your data type by clicking "Create a new field" and specifying the field name and type (e.g., text, number, date).

  Using Option Sets   Option sets are predefined lists of options that can be used in data types for consistency and ease of use. For instance, you can have an option set for the status of an order (e.g., “Pending,” “Shipped,” “Delivered”).  

• Go to the Data tab and click on “Option sets.”
• Click "Create a new option set" to define a new set.
• Within the option set, create options by clicking "New option" and providing a name.

  Merging Data Types   When you need to merge data types, you basically want to relate data. This is done by creating fields in one data type that reference another data type.  

• Suppose you have two data types: “Author” and “Book”. To merge them, you can add a field in the “Book” data type that references the “Author” data type.
• Go to the Data tab and click on the “Book” data type.
• Click "Create a new field," name it “author,” and set the type to "Author."
• This creates a relationship where each book entry can be linked to an author entry.

  Linking Entries   To link entries in your app, you'll use workflows and dynamic data.  

• Go to the Design tab and select the element (e.g., a button) that triggers the action.
• Click "Start/Edit Workflow" to define what happens when the element is clicked.
• Use the "Create a new thing" or "Make changes to a thing" actions to set the data types and their relationships.
• Select the book entry and then set its “author” field to the relevant author entry.

  Displaying Merged Data   To display merged data, use repeating groups or individual elements with dynamic data sources.  

• Drag a repeating group onto your page and set its type to the data type you want to display (e.g., “Book”).
• Within the repeating group, add text elements to show data from linked data types (e.g., the author of the book).
• Use dynamic expressions to pull in the related data, such as Current cell's Book's Author's Name.

  Testing and Debugging   Always test your workflows and database structures thoroughly.  

• Use the “Preview” mode to see your app in action and ensure that data is being stored and displayed correctly.
• Check the Data tab for actual entries to make sure the merging is happening as intended.