Databases are used for managing large amounts of data with scalability, speed, and flexibility. Through systems like
- MySql,
- PostgresSQL, and
- MongoDB,
databases enable efficient CRUD operations and handle transactional processing (OLTP). The schema provides the structural foundation that organizes data into tables and relationships, ensuring it can evolve with the system’s needs.
What is a Database?
A database is a structured datarganized to support operations such as creation, reading, updating, and deleting (commonly referred to as CRUD operations). It is designed to manage large volumes of data, often in a way that ensures efficient and reliable access.
Relational Databases
Utilize structured query language (SQL) to manage data in tables, where relationships can be expressed through foreign keys and joins, often modelled using set theory. Relational databases are more efficient due to having less redundancy
Key Aspects of Databases:
Definition:
A database, especially a relational database, captures and stores data through online transactional processing (also referred to as ==OLTP==).
Structure:
Databases organize data into tables (similar to spreadsheets), with each table having columns (fields) and rows (records). This structured format allows for efficient data storage, retrieval, and querying.
Flexibility:
Databases come with a flexible schema, meaning the structure of the data (i.e., the layout of tables and columns) can be adjusted as the requirements evolve. This makes databases adaptable to changes, unlike static data storage solutions like spreadsheets.
Use Case:
Databases are primarily used for transaction recording and managing live data in applications. They are optimized for many small, quick transactions. However, databases can become slower when performing large or complex Querying, especially on huge datasets, which may require other solutions like data warehouses.
Related Ideas:
- Spreadsheets to Databases
- Database Management System (DBMS)
- Components of the database
- Relating Tables Together
- Using SQLite to Process and Split Combined Data from Excel
Database Techniques: