Database

A collection of data usually in digital form and with a defined structure.

The majority of databases are also repositories, however not all important data repositories are databases. For most purposes the important distinction between a database and a random collection of data is the Data Model, that is how much the structure is formally defined and what level of constraints are imposed.

The vast majority of current databases follow a Relational Data Model. Although there are a number of other options such as an OODB.

Links to this page

The following pages link to here: ACID Model, Classification, Data Repository, Data Type, Entitlement, Object Oriented Database, Oracle, Race Condition, Relational Data Model