A Database Management System (DBMS) is software designed to manage and manipulate data in a database. It serves as an interface between an end-user and a database, allowing users to create, read, update, and delete data in the database. DBMS manage the data, the database engine, and the database schema, allowing for data to be manipulated or extracted by users and other programs. Some of the key features of a DBMS include:
- Data Definition: A DBMS allows users to define the structure of the database, including the tables, fields, and relationships between tables.
- Data Manipulation: A DBMS allows users to insert, update, and delete data in the database, as well as retrieve data using queries.
- Data Security: A DBMS provides security features to prevent unauthorized access to the database.
One of the biggest advantages of using a DBMS is that it lets users and application programmers access and use the same data concurrently while managing data integrity. Data is better protected and maintained when it can be shared using a DBMS instead of creating new iterations of the same data stored in new files for every new application. However, the DBMS software is complex and requires in-depth knowledge to properly implement and manage.