Database Management System(DBMS) using LibreOffice Base
Definitions
1> Data: Raw facts and figures are known as data. The facts may be related to any person, place, activity
or things. It may be stored in the form of text, graphics, audio or video.
2> Information: Processed or organized form of data is known as information.
3> Database: It is an organized collection of logically related data items, which can be manipulated and
retrieved in the desired manner by using suitable software.
4> DBMS (DataBase Management System): It is the software which is used to create databases,
manipulate data of databases and retrieve the desired data from databases.
5> Relational Database: It is a type of database in which data are stored in multiple inter-related tables.
6> RDBMS (Relational DataBase Management System): A software used to create and manage
relational databases and retrieve the desired data from relational databases.
7> Data Models: The structure of a database is known as Data Model. A data Model describes the way
in which data are stored, manipulated and retrieved. Components of data, relationship between the
data and the constraints applied on the data also within the domain of a data model.
Types of Data Models: There are several data models such as:
a> Relational Data Model: The relational model is a data model that represents data as a collection
of inter-related tables, with each table consisting of rows and columns. Relationship between tables
is established by using the concept of keys (Primary Key and Foreign Key).
b> Hierarchical Data Model: A hierarchical data model is a way of organizing data in a tree-like
structure, where each record is a parent or child of one or more other records. This structure is
similar to an organizational chart, where each record is a parent of one or more child records, and
each child record is a parent of one or more child records.
In a hierarchical data model, each record has a unique identifier, also called a primary key, and one
or more fields that store the data for that record. This model is more suitable for one-to-many
types of relationship between records. It is not flexible for the data retrieval and manipulation. It
is also not efficient for large and complex databases.
c> Network Data Model: The network model is a type of data model that represents data as a
collection of records and relationships. Network model allows for many-to-many relationships.
In the network model, records are represented as nodes and relationships are represented as links
between nodes. Each node has a unique identifier, also called a record number, and can have
multiple links to other nodes. The relationships are defined by link types and link sets, which
specify the type of relationship and the number of links between nodes.
d> Flat-File Model: A flat-file model, also known as a flat-data model, is a type of data model that
stores data in a single table or file, with no nested or related structures.
e> Object-Oriented Data Model:
f> Conceptual Data Model:
g> Physical Data Model: etc.
Relational Data Model based Definitions
1. Entity: An entity is something that exists and about which we can store some information. It is an object
which can be distinctly identified. For example, student entity, employee entity, item entity, etc. Entity
becomes the name of the table.
2. Attribute: A column in a table of a relational database is called an attribute. It represents a set of values of
a particular type.
3. Tuple: Each row in a table is known as tuple. It is also called a row/record. A record in a table represents
a set of related data.
4. Table: Tables are the building blocks of a database to store data. A table consists of several records/rows,
where each record is composed of several fields/attributes/columns. A table is also known as Relation.
5. Cardinality of Relation: It is the number of records or tuples in the relation.
6. Degree of Relation: Number of columns or attributes is known as degree of a relation.
7. Domain of Relation: It defines the kind of data represented by the attribute. It is the set of all possible
values that an attribute may contain.
8. Primary Key: It is column of a table in relational database, which uniquely identifies each row of the table.
In some RDBMS, more than one column can also be specified as Primary Key. Primary Key field does not
allow NULL value and repeated values.
9. Foreign Key: It is a column or a set of columns of a table, which has a reference to one or more columns
in another related table.
10. Candidate Keys: The columns of a table, which may be set as Primary key, are known as Candidate Keys.
11. Alternate Keys: The columns of a table, which can be set as Primary Key, but are not currently set as
Primary Key, are known as Alternate Keys.
12. Composite Key: If Primary Key of a table is composed to two or more columns of a table then it is termed
as Composite Key.
