One of the most common terms in the computer world is Database. You may have wondered what a database is. The entry of this concept into the field of applications revolutionized their development. Nowadays, it is not easy to find applications that do not use a database. If you want to know more about databases and their applications, we invite you to continue this article.
What is a database?
A database is a collection of organized information stored according to specific rules and procedures. In other words, when we put our data together in an orderly and organized manner, we call it a database. Based on this definition, a database or a list of products in a store’s warehouse is also considered a type of Database.
In computer science, a database is a place where information related to software, websites, etc., is stored. Based on the rules it uses to organize information, a database makes it much easier to access and manage stored information. Using a database allows us to store our information accurately and in a specific order. By doing this, we can access part or all of this information in the shortest possible time. Using a database also provides us with other benefits, including information independence, eliminating repetitive processes, increasing security, and the ability to back up data.
A simple example of a database
Now that we know what a database is, let’s look at a simple example. Imagine you want to rent a house in one of the areas of Paris. To do this, you would traditionally go to a real estate agent in that area. The real estate agent will provide you with a list of houses for rent in that area. This list will include various information about the houses for rent in that area, including the owner’s name, house address, rent, deposit amount, etc. In this example, the list you have is a database of information about the houses for rent in that area.
Database in the computer world
One of the most common uses of databases is to manage information in software. In this section, we will give an example of the use of databases in software. For this purpose, consider the Follow Technologies site:
- The Follow Technologies site contains a table of registered user information in its Database.
- All articles and posts on the site are stored in a separate table.
- Another table stores educational videos and image files.
- And….
This information can include information that is visible and not visible to users. Therefore, the sum of these tables, each of which holds different characteristics of entities, forms the Follow Technologies site database. Each table is designed with a proper order and structure for storing information. Now imagine how managing this volume of information would be possible if databases did not exist!!
Database-related terms and concepts
A database consists of various components and sections that work together to organize information. Each of these components and sections has different functions and names. Understanding each of these sections is essential for those who plan to design a database. Among the most important terms in the field of database design are the following:
- Table: A database can have one or more tables. Each table is responsible for storing a group of information and can have multiple columns and rows.
- Column or Attribute: Each table in the Database can have multiple columns. Each column is responsible for storing a specific attribute or value of a variable, such as the column for first name, last name, etc.
- Row: Each row or row of a data table is called a record. Each record is a set of attributes that are considered in the columns of that table. For example, information about a user is recorded in the user’s table.
- Type (Domain): Each attribute column has a specific data format called Type. Data can be of various types, including Strings and integers.
- Entity: An entity is a general concept of something whose properties and information we want to store in a database. For example, an object, a person, a customer, etc., are examples of an entity in a database, each of which has its properties.
Common problems in database design
Designing and creating databases for different software applications requires expertise, experience, and knowledge of how different DBMSs work. Other people play a role in designing, building, and managing a database. Each of them has other responsibilities, including Database Designer, Database Administrator, and Database Programmer. Most problems usually arise during the database design phase. The most common problems in database design include:
- Inappropriate selection of DBMS according to the intended purpose
- Improper database design
- Poor table naming
- Lack of documentation
- Not testing the Database
- Not having a primary key
- Enter all the information in one table
- Improper communication between different tables
Conclusion
At every moment in our world, a huge amount of information and data is created and then exchanged between different systems. This information and data has a very important place in the age of communication and technology. For this reason, all programmers must know what a database is and how they can use it to create useful software. Imagine all this information being stored without any order and order in a place without security or special rules.
Then, we want to access all or part of this data to process and examine it. Of course, this would be impossible without organizing this information. Therefore, using a database to store and manage information is very necessary. For this reason, new database management systems have been built to meet our need to store large amounts of information.
