Think of a database as a massive digital filing cabinet where all a company's information is securely locked away. SQL is simply the universal key that lets you open that cabinet, instantly sorting through millions of files to pull out the exact answer you need.
We have just introduced some new words that we are going to define below:
Data - Is raw pieces of information that can be stored, processed and analyzed
Database - Is an organized collection of related data stored in a structered way
SQL(Structured Query Language) - Is a structured language used to interact with relational databases
Benefits of a database
- Easy updates and modification
- Easy retrieval of specific information
- Efficient storage of large volumes of data
- Reduced duplication of data
There are two types of databases:
1.Relational Databases(Relational Databases Management System)
This is a database that stores tables made up of rows and columns.
Tables can be related to each other using keys
eg - PostgreSQL, MySQL, Oracle Database , Microsoft SQL Server
Characteristics
- Stores data in tables
- Use a fixed structure called a schema
- Use rows and columns
Why Relational Databases Management System is commonly used
This is because it supports CRUD operations
C - Create
R - Read
U - Update
D - Delete
It also enables data standardization in the database
2.Non-Relational Databases(NoSQL Databases)
They store data in flexible formats not instead of fixed tables
eg - MongoDB, Cassandra , Neo4j
Characteristics
- Have flexible structures
- Do not always use a fixed structure
- Can store data as JSON, Key-value pairs , graphs or wide columns
Cloud databases
Is hosted on the internet rather than the a local computer or company system
eg - Amazon RDS, Azure, Database for Postgre SQL, Google cloud SQL, Aiven, PostgreSQL
Characteristics
- Scalable
- Accessible from anywhere with proper credentials
- Easier for backup and maintain
- Managed by a cloud provider
Database Management System
Is a software used to create , manage and interact with Databases
The Database Management System allows users to:
- Create Databases
- Create Tables
- Insert new data
- Update existing data
- Delete data
Purpose of the Database Management System
- Allows one to manipulate data and perform operations
- Data security to protect the data from unauthorized access manipulation
- For backup and recovery which can be used to restore data incase the system fails
- Ensure the data is accurate reliable and consistent
- Makes collaboration and sharing of data easier
Types of Database Management System
Are categorized based on different criteria such as the number of users , the data model
- Hierachial Database Management System - Data is organized like a tree structure where each record is linked to the each other. One node is connected to another . Example an Information Management System.
- Network Database Management System - Data is organized in a graph like structure in that records are connected by links to represent relationships
- Relational Database Management System
Top comments (0)