Week 5: Database Structures

What are database structures? What are different types of database structures and what are their functions?

Concepts:

  • What are database structures?
    • They are the organization and layout of data within a database system.
    • They are essential for efficiently storing, retrieving, and managing data.
    • An operational database system keeps the data organized and allowing users to access the data.
  • What are different types of database structures and what are their functions?
    • Hierarchical databases have a parent-child family tree structure. It has a rigid and complex navigation structure but offers easy acess and quick querying time.
    • Relational databases store data in discrete tables that can be joined together using foreign keys.
    • Non-relational databases don't use the tabular schema of rows and columns and came into use due to increasingly complex modern web applications.
    • Object-oriented databases store and manage objects on a database server's disk, and is unique because associations between objects can persist.

Application:

An example of hierarchical databases is the Windows registry. An example of relational databases is a user table containing data about users joining with a Purchases table containing data about the purchases users have made. Non-relational databases include MongoDB and Redis. An example of object-oriented databases is where the query language contructs native objects through a chosen SDK in the MongoDB Realm.

Hierarchichal Database model.

Quiz:

► Question 1: What are the 4 types of database structures?

Hierarchical Databases, Relational Databases, Non-Relational Databases, and Object Oriented Databases

► Question 2: How are object oriented databases unique?

Object oriented programming and the querying of data across complex relationships is fast and powerful because associations between objects can persist.

► Question 3: What is the difference between relational and non-relational databases?

Relational stores data in discrete tables, which can be joined together by fields known as foreign keys, while non-relational don't use the tabular schema of rows and columns.