What is the most efficient way to store tags in a database?

Question

I am implementing a tagging system on my website similar to one stackoverflow uses, my question is - what is the most effective way to store tags so that they may be searche

Answer 1

I'd suggest using intermediary third table for storing tags<=>items associations, since we have many-to-many relations between tags and items, i.e. one item can be associated with multiple tags and one tag can be associated with multiple items. HTH, Valve.