Files versus Databases
In the past, many organisations kept information in separate files, for example one file for students and another for fees. This causes the same data to be typed repeatedly in several places, known as data redundancy. When one copy is updated but the others are not, data inconsistency occurs.
A database is an organised collection of related data, stored so that it can be accessed and managed efficiently. A database reduces redundancy and lets many users share the same information safely.
Key idea
A relational database stores data in related tables. Each table has rows (records) and columns (fields).
Tables, Records and Fields
In a relational database, data is organised into tables. Each row is one record, representing a single entity such as one student. Each column is a field (or attribute) such as a name or an identification number. It is called "relational" because tables can be linked to one another through a shared field.
Example
A Student table has the fields StudentNo, Name and Class. A row such as (S001, Aminah, 4 Bestari) is one record. A Fees table can be linked to Student through the StudentNo field, so the student's name need not be retyped.
Database Management System (DBMS)
A Database Management System (DBMS) is the software used to create, store, manage and access a database. The DBMS controls who may view the data and helps keep it accurate. Examples of a DBMS include MySQL, Microsoft Access, Oracle and SQLite.
Remember
Table = organised data, row = record, column = field. A DBMS is the software that manages the database, not the database itself.