Database Terms

Database Terms

1. Key Field

   • Piece of data in a database that is unique to a particular record
   • Example: Pupil number in a school database

2. Tables

   • Consists of rows and columns
   • First row contain field names
   • Following rows contain the records
   • Columns contain database fields

3. Relational Databases

   • Data is stored in more than one table
   • Tables are linked
   • Most commercial databases are relational
   • Foreign key is a field of one table which is also the key field for another

4. Problems with flat line systems

   • Data redundancy (data is duplicated so more data needs to be entered than is needed)
   • When a record is deleted then other data which still may be useful is deleted)

5. Advantages of Relational Databases

   • Time is saved by not having to type as much data
   • Entering less data means fewer typing errors
   • Data redundancy is redunced