Database Components

Database Components

• A database consists of fields and records that hold data and can be populated in one or more tables.

• Each component of a database has a specific function for designing and structuring data.

Tables

• A table is a collection of data, organized in rows and columns, which ideally holds information about a specific aspect of a topic.

• For example, a high school database might include:

  • A table of courses offered.

  • A table for teachers and their schedules.

  • A table with student information (ID, address, enrollment counselor).

Records

• A record (or tuple) is the data about one instance of a particular person, company, or item recorded in a database.

• Data in a record is recorded in one row of the table and must be unique to maintain data consistency.

• For instance, a student record might include a phone number, email address, and student ID number, and it is crucial that no duplicate student entries exist in the table.

Fields

• Columns in a table contain one piece of information about a specific record; these are referred to as fields.

• Each field contains a unique piece of information about the record, such as:

  • A student's phone number.

  • A student's email address.

  • A student's ID number.

• Fields are designed to collect specific information from all records in the table and can be formatted to store specific types of data (e.g., dates, dollar amounts, plain text).