Database
An organised collection of data that software can access selectively and apply changes to.
What is a database?
A database is an organised collection of data. A database management system provides software to manage, query and change that data. The collection may be organised as tables or documents, for example. A database is therefore not the same as an input form or a particular server device.
In a fictional service portal, requests and their processing status are stored in a database. When reopened, the application reads the stored state instead of deriving it solely from the last screen display. The solution must define and enforce who may read or change data and which rules apply to changes. Backup, restoration and operational ownership also need planning; using a database does not guarantee these tasks by itself.
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Related terms
- Relational data modelModelling data in tables with rows, columns and explicitly described relationships.
- SQLA language for defining, querying and changing data.
- NoSQLAn umbrella term for database systems with different, not primarily relational data models.
- Object-relational mappingConnecting program objects to data in a relational database.
- Database queryA database query requests data under defined conditions. Selection, result scope and ordering should fit the work being done.
- Database indexA database index supports suitable lookups. It does not accelerate every query and adds storage and data-change overhead.
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