From the course: Database Foundations: Intro to Databases

What is a database?

From the course: Database Foundations: Intro to Databases

Start my 1-month free trial

What is a database?

“

- [Instructor] Its common to start an introductory course with a big picture question, such as, what is a database? Now, it sounds like an easy question, right? We might say that a database is a system used to store data. But there's many different ways to store data. A shoebox full of receipts can be used to store data about business expenses. But I wouldn't consider this to be a database. A wall full of stick notes can also be used to store data. But that's not really what a database is either. So, our definition needs a little work. We can focus our definition by restricting it to the real of digital data. We might instead say that a database is a computer system for storing data. Under this definition, all of the files on our computer's entire hard drive would qualify. And while they certainly store digital data, they don't collectively make up a database. What about a single file? Like a spreadsheet. Is this a database? The short answer is yes. A spreadsheet is a kind of database. What specifically sets spreadsheets apart from the other files on your computer is that they store data in organized arrangement of rows and columns. In addition to storing data, organization is a critical component of a database. So, let's add that in to our definition. A database is a computer system used to organize and store data. This definition gets us really close to pinpointing what a database is. But it doesn't address a second and more interesting question. Why? Why would you want to store and organize data? The entire reason you would store data in the first place is to make use of it again later. Databases store data so that it can be retrieved, analyzed and acted upon. After all, if you're not going to actually do anything with your data, then why go through the hassle of storing it in the first place. The retrieval of data is the last critical component that we need to add in to our definition. This gets us to a final working understanding of what a database is. A database is a computer system that organizes and stores data so that it can be useful at a later point in time. Now, as we saw, a spreadsheet can be considered a type of database. They store organized data so they can be used later. But that's not really what we're going to be learning about in this course. When most people talk about databases, what they really mean is a more specific system called a relational database. A relational database enforces specific rules on the system that govern how the data is structured, stored and retrieved. In a relational database data is organized in to tables. Just like a spreadsheet that contain rows and columns. But unlike a traditional spreadsheet, a relational database contains many different tables that all relate to each other. This system of related table allows data to be stored in an efficient manner. Reduces duplication and inconsistencies. Makes retrieval faster. And allows the data to be sliced and diced in to an infinite number of arrangements so that a skilled analyst can turn that data in to useful, valuable and actionable information. And this is what this course is all about. I'll show you how to move beyond the spreadsheet to increase the value of your data by structuring it according to the principles of a relational database.

Contents