Data - Answers Numeric, textual, visual, or audio information that describes real-world systems.
(1.1 Database basics)
analog - Answers Historically, information was mostly encoded as continuous variations on
various physical media. (1.1 Database basics)
digital - Answers Today, information is mostly encoded as zeros and ones on electronic and
magnetic media. (1.1 Database basics)
database - Answers A collection of information in a structured format. In principle, they can be
stored on paper or even clay tablets. In practice, however, modern ones are invariably stored on
computers. (1.1 Database basics)
database system / database management system / DBMS - Answers Software that reads and
writes data in a database. These systems ensure data is secure, internally consistent, and
available at all times. These functions are challenging for large databases with many users, so
these systems are complex. (1.1 Database basics)
query - Answers A request to retrieve or change data in a database. (1.1 Database basics)
query language - Answers A specialized programming language, designed specifically for
database systems. (1.1 Database basics)
database application - Answers Software that helps business users interact with database
systems. (1.1 Database basics)
database administrator - Answers Responsible for securing the database system against
unauthorized users. This role enforces procedures for user access and database system
availability. (1.1 Database basics)
database designer - Answers Determines the format of each data element and the overall
database structure. They must balance several priorities, including storage, response time, and
support for rules that govern the data. Since these priorities often conflict, the design process is
technically challenging. (1.1 Database basics)
database programmer - Answers Develops computer programs that utilize a database. (1.1
Database basics)
database user - Answers A consumer of data in a database. They request, update, or use stored
data to generate reports or information. They usually access the database via applications but
can also submit queries directly to the database system. (1.1 Database basics)
transaction - Answers A group of queries that must be either completed or rejected as a whole.
Execution of some, but not all, queries results in inconsistent or incorrect data. (1.2 Database
, systems)
architecture - Answers Describes the internal components and the relationships between
components of a database system. (1.2 Database systems)
query processor - Answers Interprets queries, creates a plan to modify the database or retrieve
data, and returns query results to the application. (Part of the database system architecture).
(1.2 Database systems)
query optimization - Answers A process performed by the query processor to ensure the most
efficient instructions are executed on the data. (1.2 Database systems)
storage manager - Answers Translates the query processor instructions into low-level file-
system commands that modify or retrieve data. (Part of the database system architecture). (1.2
Database systems)
indexes - Answers Used by the storage manager to quickly locate data. (1.2 Database systems)
transaction manager - Answers Ensures transactions are properly executed. (Part of the
database system architecture). (1.2 Database systems)
log - Answers A file containing a complete record of all inserts, updates, and deletes processed
by the database. (1.2 Database systems)
catalog / data dictionary - Answers A directory of tables, columns, indexes, and other database
objects. (Also known as data dictionary). (1.2 Database systems)
relational database - Answers Stores data in tables, columns, and rows, similar to a spreadsheet.
(1.2 Database systems)
SQL - Answers Stands for Structured Query Language and includes statements that read and
write data, create and delete tables, and administer the database system. (1.2 Database
systems)
big data - Answers Massive volumes of online data, often with poorly structured or missing
information, generated by the growth of the internet in the 1990s. (1.2 Database systems)
NoSQL - Answers Newer non-relational database systems, standing for 'not only SQL', which are
optimized for big data. (1.2 Database systems)
Open source - Answers Software that anyone can inspect, copy, and modify with no licensing
fee.
CRUD - Answers An acronym for Create, Read, Update, and Delete data, referring to the four
common queries.
SQL statement - Answers A complete, executable database command written in SQL.