A database is an organized structure designed to store, modify, and process interdependent information, mostly in large volumes.
A database is used for dynamic websites with large volumes (online store, portal, corporate website).
What you need to know
A database is a certain set of data that is interconnected by a common feature or property and is organized, for example, alphabetically.
Combining a large amount of data into a single database allows you to create many variations of grouping information – personal data of a customer, order history, product catalog, and anything else.
The main advantage of the database is the speed of entering and using the necessary information. Thanks to special algorithms used for databases, you can easily find the necessary data in just a few seconds. Also, there is a certain interconnection of information in the database: a change in one row can cause changes in other rows – this helps to work with information easier and faster.
Purpose
Databases for websites allow you to store information that looks like linked tables. It is in the database that all the necessary and useful information for the website functioning is stored (customer data, price list, list of goods).
When programming websites, different database management systems are used. The main DBMSs include:
- Oracle Database, an object-relational database management system;
- free database management system PostgreSQL;
- Microsoft SQL Server database management system;
- free MySQL database management system;
Such management systems are characterized by centralized query processing, ensure reliability, availability, and security of the database.
The most popular management system is MySQL; it provides convenient access to database management and supports a large number of tables of various types.
Distributed databases
Distributed databases (DBMS) are a set of logically interconnected databases that are distributed over a computer network.
Advantages of RDBMS:
- This model displays information in the simplest form for the user;
- it is based on a developed mathematical apparatus that allows to describe the basic operations with data quite concisely;
- allows creating data manipulation languages of non-procedural type;
- manipulation of data at the level of the source database and the possibility of changes.
Disadvantages of RDBMS:
- the slowest access to data;
- laboriousness of development.
- Database management systems
DBMSs are software tools that act as an intermediary between the database and its users. Thanks to a set of language and software tools, DBMSs facilitate the creation, maintenance and sharing of databases by different users.
A modern DBMS program consists of a kernel, a database language processor, a runtime support subsystem, and service programs that provide additional capabilities for maintaining information systems.