DDMA Level II
Database glossary
Every term this guide defines, A to Z, each with the chapter that teaches it. Open it when a word in a question is unfamiliar, and test yourself on it in the last week: cover the definition and say it in one sentence.
17 terms from the free first chapter
A
- Attribute
A single column within a relation, one field.
Taught in Database concepts
C
- Cardinality
The number of tuples (rows) a relation currently holds.
Taught in Database concepts
- Centralized database
All data stored and managed at a single physical location.
Taught in Database concepts
- Cloud database
Runs on a cloud provider's infrastructure, accessed over the internet.
Taught in Database concepts
D
- Data
Raw, unprocessed facts with no context on their own.
Taught in Database concepts
- Database
An organised, persistent collection of related data.
Taught in Database concepts
- Database Management System (DBMS)
Software that creates, manages and controls access to a database; MySQL, PostgreSQL and Oracle Database are all examples.
Taught in Database concepts
- Degree
The number of attributes (columns) a relation has.
Taught in Database concepts
- Distributed database
Data spread across multiple physical locations, appearing as one logical database.
Taught in Database concepts
H
- Hardware
The physical computer and storage the database runs on.
Taught in Database concepts
- Hierarchical database
Organises data in a tree structure, each record has one parent.
Taught in Database concepts
N
- Network database
A more flexible variant of hierarchical, where a record can have multiple parents.
Taught in Database concepts
P
- Procedures
The documented instructions for using and administering the database.
Taught in Database concepts
R
- Relation
The formal term for a table.
Taught in Database concepts
- Relational database
Organises data into related tables linked by keys, the dominant model this paper focuses on.
Taught in Database concepts
S
- Software
The DBMS itself, plus the operating system it runs under.
Taught in Database concepts
T
- Tuple
A single row within a relation, one record.
Taught in Database concepts
The full glossary adds every term from the other 4 chapters, A to Z, each with the chapter that teaches it.