A Database is an organised collection of structured information or data stored electronically for easy access, management and retrieval. It allows users to store, retrieve, update and manage data efficiently.
Key Characteristics of a Database:
- Structured Storage: Data is stored in a systematic manner, often using tables, rows and columns.
- Efficient Retrieval: Enables quick searching, filtering and querying of data.
- Data Integrity: Ensures accuracy and consistency of stored information.
- Multi-User Access: Supports concurrent access by multiple users.
- Security: Implements access controls and encryption to protect sensitive data.
Types of Databases:
- Relational Databases (RDBMS): Stores data in structured tables with relationships (e.g., MySQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle).
- NoSQL Databases: Designed for flexibility and scalability, storing unstructured or semi-structured data (e.g., MongoDB, Cassandra).
- Cloud Databases: Hosted on cloud platforms for scalability and remote access (e.g., Google Cloud Firestore, Amazon RDS).
- Graph Databases: Stores data in nodes and relationships, ideal for social networks and recommendations (e.g., Neo4j).
- Time-Series Databases: Optimised for tracking time-based data such as logs and metrics (e.g., InfluxDB).