What is Database?

 

 ?What is Database 

Database  is a structured collection of data that is stored and organized in a way that allows efficient retrieval and manipulation of information. Databases can be electronic or physical (paper-based) and are commonly used in many fields, such as finance, healthcare, education, and e-commerce

In a database, information is stored in tables, which are made up of rows and columns. Each row represents a single record or instance of the information being stored, and each column represents a specific piece of information or data attribute. By organizing data into tables and breaking it down into smaller, more manageable parts, databases make it easier to access, update, and analyze information.

Databases are used for a wide range of purposes, such as managing inventory, tracking customer information, storing financial data, and conducting research. Some examples of popular database management systems (DBMS) include MySQL, Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server, and PostgreSQL.

here are some additional details about databases

Databases can be classified into two main categories: relational and non-relational. Relational databases organize data into tables with predefined relationships between them, while non-relational databases do not use tables and instead use other data structures to store and retrieve information

In addition to tables, databases can also include other objects such as views, indexes, stored procedures, and triggers, which provide additional functionality for managing and querying data

Databases can be accessed and manipulated using a special language called Structured Query Language (SQL). SQL allows users to create, modify, and delete data, as well as retrieve information from the database using various commands and operators

Data in databases can be protected through various security mechanisms, such as user authentication, access control, and encryption. It's important to keep sensitive data secure to prevent unauthorized access and protect the privacy of individuals.

Databases can be hosted on-premises or in the cloud, and there are a wide variety of database management systems and services available to choose from. Each has its own set of features, benefits, and limitations, so it's important to carefully evaluate options and choose the one that best meets the needs of your organization

 

Database Applications Examples

Enterprise Information

Sales: customers, products, purchases

Accounting: payments, receipts, assets

Human Resources: Information about employees, salaries, payroll taxes

Manufacturing: management of production, inventory, orders, supply chain

Banking and finance
customer information, accounts, loans, and banking transactions
Credit card transactions
Finance:  sales and purchases of financial instruments (e.g., stocks and bonds; storing real-time market data

Universities:  registration, grades

Telecommunication: records of calls, texts, and data usage, generating monthly bills, maintaining balances on prepaid calling cards

Navigation systems: For maintaining the locations of varies places of interest along with the exact routes of roads, train systems, buses, etc

Purpose of Database Systems

In the early days, database applications were built directly on top of file systems, which leads to

Data redundancy and inconsistency: data is stored  in multiple file formats resulting induplication of information in different files
Difficulty in accessing data
Need to write a new program to carry out each new task
Data isolation
Multiple files and formats
Integrity problems
Integrity constraints  (e.g., account balance > 0) become “buried” in program code rather than being stated explicitly
Hard to add new constraints or change existing ones
Atomicity of updates
Failures may leave database in an inconsistent state with partial updates carried out
Example: Transfer of funds from one account to another should either complete or not happen at all
Concurrent access by multiple users
Concurrent access needed for performance
Uncontrolled concurrent accesses can lead to inconsistencies
Ex: Two people reading a balance (say 100) and updating it by withdrawing money (say 50 each) at the same time
Security problems
Hard to provide user access to some, but not all, data

    Database systems offer solutions to all the above problems