A database is an organized collection of data stored and accessed electronically through the use of a database management system (DBMS) . It can be used to store and manage large amounts of structured and unstructured data, and it can be used to support a wide range of activities, including data storage, data analysis, and data management. Databases are used in a variety of settings, including business, scientific, and government organizations.
A database typically requires a comprehensive database software program known as a database management system (DBMS) . A DBMS serves as an interface between the database and its end users or programs, allowing users to retrieve, update, and manage how the information is organized and optimized. The DBMS provides various functions that allow entry, storage, and retrieval of large quantities of information and provides ways to manage how that information is organized.
Key features of a database include:
- Data: This is the raw information that the database stores. Database administrators organize the data to make it more meaningful.
- Data access language: This is the programming language that controls the database. The programming language used to operate on the data stored in a database is called Structured Query Language (SQL) .
- Tables: In a database, data is organized into tables consisting of rows and columns, and it is indexed so data can be updated, expanded, and deleted easily.
Databases are used for storing, maintaining, and accessing any sort of data, such as sales transactions, customer data, financials, and product information. They collect information on people, places, or things, and that information is gathered in one place so that it can be observed and analyzed.
