From the course: SQL for Non-Programmers

Relational databases - SQL Tutorial

From the course: SQL for Non-Programmers

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Relational databases

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Before we can get started writing code of our own, it's essential that we learn key concepts and definitions, as they pertain to the use of relational databases and SQL. Let's start with an introduction to relational databases. Think of relational databases as a digital filing cabinet. They are a type of database that organizes data into tables, each table consisting of rows and columns. Each row represents a unique record of data, and each column represents an attribute or characteristic of that data. Tables can be linked or related based on common keys. Common keys are data that is common to each table, allowing you to create bridges that connect one table to another. For example, in relational database for a library, there might be separate tables for books, authors, publishers, and borrowers. The tables would be related to each other through common keys such as a book ISBN, publisher name, or author ID. This would allow you to be able to use the database to quickly and easily answer questions such as which books has this author written? Or which books are currently checked out? The well-designed nature of relational databases makes it easier to organize, store, retrieve, and manipulate large amounts of data in an accurate and efficient manner. Most databases today are relational databases and they store structured data. Structured data is data that comes in a nicely organized and human readable standard format, like typical spreadsheets. There are many relational database solutions on the market today. Some of the most common are MySQL, Microsoft SQL Server, PostgreSQL, and what we will be using for our course SQLite. The choice of a specific relational database solution can depend on many factors, including scalability, performance, compatibility, and cost. Organizations must evaluate their requirements and consider all relevant factors when adopting a solution to manage their structured data. Overall, relational databases are a flexible and scalable solution for managing complex data structures, playing a critical role in a wide range of applications and industries today.

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