Database design supplement

Overview

Teaching: 15 min
Exercises: 0 min

Questions

• What is SQL? Why is it significant?

Objectives

• to understand the signifance and utilty of SQL

Database Design

Q & A on Database Design (review if time)

1. Order doesn’t matter
2. Every row-column combination contains a single atomic value, i.e., not containing parts we might want to work with separately.
3. One field per type of information
4. No redundant information
   • Split into separate tables with one table per class of information
   • Needs an identifier in common between tables – shared column - to reconnect (foreign key).

Other database management systems

• Access or Filemaker Pro
  • GUI
  • Forms w/QAQC
  • But not cross-platform
• MySQL/PostgreSQL
  • Multiple simultaneous users
  • More difficult to setup and maintain

Key Points

• SQL is one of many database management systems