A number of high-level techniques help rationalize data management and transfer, but the mileage of practical implementations may vary a lot. Generally speaking

A number of high-level techniques help rationalize data management and transfer, but the mileage of practical implementations may vary a lot. Generally speaking, only a small number of applications really need to take care and add a further layer of abstraction, that because the best practices already codified into any widespread language do an acceptable job already.